


The Sisters Hopps, A Zootopian Saga

by Creativespirit0163



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Danger, Drama & Romance, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Humor, International intrigue, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Multiple Plot Lines, Past Lives, Plot Twists, Police action, Slow Build, Slow Burn, advanced technologies, back stories, military action
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:21:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 83,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27965216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creativespirit0163/pseuds/Creativespirit0163
Summary: Judy Hopps was not your normal rabbit. She was driven, passionate, focused, unstoppable and did not know how to quit. But... Judy Hopps was not the first of her litter to follow her dream with a determination that would make it a reality at all cost; she was just the one that her parents held onto the most, the one they feared for the most, the one they needed to stay and continue the Hopps traditions and someday be the next Matriarch of the Hopps Warren. Judy Hopps, like her sisters before her had wanderlust in her eyes and bigger dreams in her heart and the only thing that may stop her is the 'Naive Dream... In Zootopia, you can be anything" if you can leave your country attitudes behind.Soon she will find that the conspiracy that she is willing to drag her species lifelong enemy into stretches across continents and will test the hearts and lives of more than she was ever willing to put in danger and cost her more than she was ever willing to give.
Relationships: Fangmeyer/Wolford (Zootopia), Jackie Hopps/Original Male Character, Jill Hopps/Original Male Charaacter, Judy Hopps/Nick Wilde
Comments: 75
Kudos: 72





	1. Prologue 1: The Night Howler—Night at the Museum Fall Out

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fan fiction. It was started as a written story for me alone, a hobby as a form of stress and pain relief, soon after I saw the movie. I had never heard of fanfiction, fan art, AO3, Fanfiction.net, Wattpad or any of the various fiction contribution sites available until I was searching Pinterest and came across artwork for Kulkum's "The Savage Dark" and that led down the 'rabbit hole' we shall say. By that time I had 5 hand written notebooks front to back. I finally decided I needed to start typing them up and maybe have the courage to let some of you awsome fiction writers that I have also now enjoyed for these many years read my daydreams into this world. I am a graphic artist and copy writer by trade. I plan on adding a tumblr link or possibly a deviant art link to share and hopefully have you all share some fan art as well. I have some strong opinions about this world but they are just that and as the chapters get added so shall my notes and opinions.

**The Sisters Hopps  
A Zootopian Story**

**_3 and a half years before present day—location undisclosed:_ **

Just as the Major was finally about to fall asleep in his office chair, he heard a quiet bong on his computer. One eye opened narrowly to look at the message note at the corner of the screen making a slight green glow in the dark room of the bungalow he shared with two missionary doctors. He leaned forward in his chair, now freshly awake, almost excited to see the message. A golden fur paw touched the screen to open the encrypted note. Then he opened the attached video file. ‘Wow… My word she is amazing—‘

“I caught you” came a voice from behind sending the cat out of his chair in an instant.

“Dr Kovak, I told you never to sneak up on me like that, I could have killed you!”

“Well, you knew somewhere in the back of your mind that it was only me walking up the path from the hospital long before I was near I’m sure; besides, I think you wanted me to see this special girl you keep talking about”

“Okay, okay, maybe, but at least knock next time. Anyway, look, there she is. Isn’t she amazing.”

“But… she’s a rabbit.”

“What do you mean by that? She’s amazing look at her. From the reports I have she’s selfless, brave, intelligent, fast, and well, how do you say it?”

“Cute.”

“No, no, cute is for cubs, she’s beautiful.”

“Major, I think you’ve been out here by yourself way too long.”

“Come on Kay, be honest.”

“When you call me ‘Kay’ I know you are really cracking— okay, well—” the vixen stared at the video for a bit, “she’s not your average doe that’s for sure.”

The vixen stood up pondering the mammal fixated on the video, “But what does it matter Jezo? Why the fascination with this one?”

The Major handed the vixen a file he had in his wall safe within reach of his chair. “I’ve been setting everything in place but she is the one to help us.”

“The vixen looked at the file, “Service Record: J. Hopps., Hmmm, she has had to overcome a lot. Tough girl. You have lots of pictures Major. How did you get this one?” The photo, taken with a telephoto lens, was of the doe relaxing on a beach with other female cadets. She was lying on her stomach in a bikini, reading what appeared to be field manuals.

“What, oh, that’s not supposed to be in there, guess our agent got a little over zealous with his work.” The major snatched the folder out of the smiling vixen’s paw. “Anyway, that was a while ago. If we can get her here, she will see the truth. We have it all set up. She’ll understand—”

“You think it’s that simple? You are playing a dangerous game Major and it may cost you more than you know.” The doctor sighed as she put a paw on the Major’s shoulder. She realized he didn’t even acknowledge her last statement. He had spent too much time on the edge of a knife and this doe rabbit could be the one to save him or— ‘well we just won’t think about the “or”, will we Major’ the vixen thought to herself as she let herself out of the dark room with the Major leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed again—a photo of the doe rabbit, under his paw resting on his chest.

**Prologue 1  
The Night Howler—Night at the Museum Fall-Out**

**_Zootopia Museum of Natural History, immediately after Dawn Bellwether confesses her plot to Judy Hopps and is surrounded by officers from Precinct One.; 2 years, 6 months from present day:_ **

_**30 minutes earlier:** _

Nick could smell the sheep getting closer, “Judy, this is going to hurt like hell but you have to keep quiet. I need to stop the bleeding,” then he tightened down on the neckerchief as hard as he could bring tears to the rabbit’s eyes as she gritted her teeth as hard as she could.

Judy pulled the fox down by his tie so she was muzzle to muzzle with him. “N... Nick, please just go, …go you damn fox.”

Judy’s words though getting weak were determined and brave but Nick could smell her fear, “I’m not leaving you rabbit. Not now, not ever. You hear me Judy. They’ll kill you if I leave you here and you know it.”

“They are going to k..kill us both Nick… then , then she wins and mammals, predators will suffer, can’t you see…”

Her tears were making his muzzle damp as her body shook his, “They’ll have to kill me to get to you…”

“Nick, if she finds us, oh Nick,… they’ll make you savage an then…” she couldn’t finish. It was perfectly clear. Nicks mouth hung open, the horror of it just it him like one of Big’s goon’s fist. His life with this rabbit had almost ended many times now but no, not this, he would rather be torn apart by Mr Manchas than this. ' _Ruttin hell Wilde, think!’_ She was right, she was always right, wasn’t she? Nick picked up the case and looked at it.

“I, I can be a distra..action… you can get out… you are a sly fox…”

Nick started patting his pockets, he always carried a pocket knife. Nothing but Judy’s carrot pen… _‘her carrot pen!’_ “Let’s hustle the rutting ewe.” Nick handed the pen to Judy who suddenly looked as if the fox had gone crazy, then he open the dart gun case.

“Nick please…”

“Judy, I’m not leaving you here to die, I’m not leaving you ever again, so cop-up officer. Just prepare to follow my lead and act terrified when I attack you.”

“Attack…me?” Judy watched Nick pull the serum pellet from the gun and replace the chamber with several blueberries. “I… Nick you’re crazy.

“Crazy like a fox about to eat an even crazier rabbit,” he said looking straight into her eyes.

His emerald eyes had such determination, how could she not trust him, “Okay, okay… I trust you, do what you have to Nick… whatever happens, I trust you.”

_**Present time – inside the Natural History Museum:** _

Mayor Bellwether was just about to protest her arrest when Chief Bogo made a hoof signal to Sargent Rhinowitz; the Rhino in tactical gear rapidly drew his tranquilizer and without hesitation fired a dart into the neck of both ram officers that had helped the villainous ewe.

“Th…they had surrendered. You had no right to tranquilize them…” Bellwether tried to protest.

“Shut your mouth or you will be tazed and muzzled for resisting arrest Madam Mayor.” Chief Bogo admonished the ewe as he towered over her, forcing her to fall on her knees shaking. “Those rams were veteran officers and armed. I am not taking any chances. Cuff her, an and the rams. And Rhinowhitz…muzzle her. I do not want a word coming out of that terrorist. Get a van to take them directly through the ZPD prisoner transfer garage. Have her put in secure detainment until I return…absolutely no contacts! Higgins, call dispatch and report that last 911 call a prank call.”

“You can’t do this Bogo, I have rights!” bleated the lamb.

“Had rights…terrorist revoke their rights when they chose to try to destroy our city” the buffalo huffed, “Get to it Officers.”

“Chief, the station is just across the square?” Officer Fangmeyer replied, confused about Chief request.

“We need to put a complete blackout on this. No media, no APB’s. We have no idea whom else in the ZPD or the Mayor’s office is involved. I want them taken around the square through the back alleys… got it!, Get Wolford’s team over here. Tell them to be quiet about it. I want this entire place searched.”

“Understood, sir.” Fangmeyer pulled up a secure channel on her portable radio to call for a transfer van to the back of the museum without giving details.

The chief looked into the display pit where Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps were currently trapped, “Hopps, you okay.”

“No she’s not okay! No thanks to her trusted chief and ZPD brothers.” the fox spat with disdain, “She needs medical help… now that she’s NOT dead at the hands of your cops and that crazy sheep.”

The fox’s words stung the chief but as he pointed his hoof down to respond, the large Officer hesitated long enough to know that Wilde was right—as Chief, he had failed his newest officer completely, forgetting his oath to lead by example, to show all his officers, honesty, integrity and loyalty. He had also let his own prejudice towards certain species, _‘Do you expect me to believe a fox,’_ creep back into his judgement. Maybe it was the stress of his growing suspicion that someone was behind the predator disappearances and the fact that his officers just could not find a single clue.

None of that mattered. Still, he had to be cautious; he did not know the cause of the rabbit’s injuries and there was a predator trapped in a pit with her. “Mr Wilde, we will get you out as soon as we can, but until we sort this out please step away from officer Hopps.”

“What… why? She’s Hurt and needs my help?”

“Chief, it’s okay, Nick is my friend.” Judy said with a weakening voice.

“I’m not taking any chances. Now,” The chief made a gesture to Lieutenant Higgins and the hippo drew his tranq pistol, “step away from officer Hopps or you will be tranquil…”

A large gray trunk came down in front of the chief pushing Higgins’ side arm back to his holster then forcing both the chief and the hippo away from the pit by two or three steps, “My gosh Chief, have you not been keeping up. Mr. Wilde is obviously not savage and if he was a threat to officer Hopps, she would have kicked him across the display by now! Didn’t you hear the fox say she needed medical attention right away?” With her actions putting the two large senior officers in shock, along with the frankness of the female elephant officer’s words, Francine Pennington hopped down into the display with a ground shaking thump. Officer Pennington was an African elephant and besides Officer Trunkster, she was the largest mammal in precinct One. She was as kind hearted as she was brave and her accolades in both regards were well documented in community and ZPD awards.

The Large pachyderm held a kind-ship with the smallest officer on the force in that she too had a family that did not approve initially of her choice to follow a career as a police officer. Francine was the youngest daughter of Chief Terrance, “Tuff Tusk” Pennington, the longest serving Zootopia Fire Chief. The ZFD was in the Pennington family heritage; her grandfather and great-great-grandfather had been City Fire Chiefs, many family members were or had been ZFD firemamamals and several station Captains served among current ranks. Going against her father’s wishes to join the ZPD was one of the hardest things she ever had done, but like Judy she was her own mammal and she had her own dreams and goals. When she had learned how tough it was for Judy to become a cop, she was one of the few officers besides Clawhouser to befriend the rabbit. She was also one of the few mammals that the chief respected as honest to a fault, loyal, respectful, yet never would agree to an order just to be on his good side. Maybe it was an elephant thing or her father being a good friend; still Pennington made it clear to the chief she was very displeased with his treatment of Hopps when the rabbit officer quit and Chief Bogo regretted losing some of the elephant officer’s respect almost as much as losing officer Hopps.

“Francine, thank you… I, we… well Nick saved me, he would never hurt me.”

“Calm down Judy, and sorry to you Mr. Wilde. It will be okay,” Francine used her trunk to move the fake grass and shrubs away from Judy. She kept her large body and huge ears between the other officers outside the display and the two small mammals she was trying to rescue, so she could speak softly. “Don’t be so hard on the Chief. We all have been under a lot of stress with mammals going savage… Captain Hawthorne was critically injured when officer Johnson went savage in the quad behind the station.”

“Oh no, How bad,?”

“They were all out eating lunch with several officers. The park back there had become popular as it just felt safer you know… Then Johnson started to turn crazy. We all have seen it now, well most of us anyway… we knew he was turning, so the Cap had to hold him down until help came. She kept him down but was bitten several times on the shoulder… lost a lot of blood… its touch and go.”

Judy’s eyes closed for a bit and even though the small rabbit had only served with these mammals a short time, Nick understood how close to home this was for Judy and her friend as his ears pinned back in sadness for the sorrowful young doe.

“Come-on now, no time for tears, we need to get you two out of here. Mr. Wilde, can you carry her if I lift you both up to the ledge?”

Nick nodded as he gently lifted Judy bridle style then pulled her tightly to his chest. Judy wrapped her arms around his neck leaning her head into his shoulder. Francine wrapped them both up in her large trunk and lifted them up to the side of the display where Officer Fangmeyer helped the fox and his precious cargo to his feet. With agility that seemed more fitting of a springbuck, the elephant officer bounded to the other side of the display and using her trunk and powerful strength pulled herself up and out.

Chief Bogo looked down at the injured rabbit, now in the arms of the fox sitting on the museum floor tending to her wound, As Chief, he was a leader that gained his rank by merit and action and knew good leaders had to react to their mistakes, not dwell on them or make excuses. He quickly turned toward the elephant officer standing next to Rhinowitz, “Officer Pennington, thank you. Fangmeyer, Call ZFD-EMS. Use your phone—not the radio. Have them send Reginald and Lucy. No sirens!”

“Chief, it was all Mayor Bellwether. She wants to control all the predators by making everyone believe they are going savage and forcing them under control… I… I need to…” Judy began to explain before she became too weak to talk as she held her carrot recorder pen up before she dropped it. “..Nick”

Nick grabbed it and held the pen in his paw shaking a bit. He looked up at the massive buffalo and slowly handed their evidence over to the Chief, “She risked her life to get this. Don’t betray her trust in you again.” The fox’s eyes could have burned holes through the thick hide of the cape buffalo with the malice they held toward the large leader of the ZPD. Nick looked down at Judy then back up at the chief. He pulled the Night Howler pellet out of his shirt pocket, never taking his eyes of the Chief’s gaze. “This is all we have left of the poison they tried to use that makes mammals go savage… that they would have used on me so… so I… I would kill Carrots… I mean Officer Hopps”

The buffalo knelt down on one knee and gently took both items. He turned to Officer Fangmeyer, “Get this to the lab boys—highest priority. WAIT… take the pen to Cisiaro in evidence. Watch him make a copy then lock it in my personal safe. Then you and Delgato take the serum pellet to the police forensics lab at Kovak industry’s. I will call them so they will be expecting you. You will watch everything they do and record the chain of evidence understood. I don’t care about the overtime.” The Chief didn’t even wait for a response. He trusted his officers to handle this task immediately. “ETA on EMS?”

“Two minutes out, Chief.” Wolford replied as he came into the museum with several other wolf officers, “I instructed them to meet Anderson in the loading dock garage.

Chief Bogo put a hoof down on Judy helping the fox to lower her onto his large rolled police jacket. Without looking up from the wounded rabbit he commanded, “I want a perimeter around this museum and security set up at the hospital, Precinct One officers only. Call in the night shift if you have too.” The Chief then looked at the fox, “Mr. Wilde, I assume the runaway trolley was all part of this as well as the crash into the Second Street Station?”

Judy tried to answer but the fox put a paw on her cheek to keep her from speaking. “Was it part of the plan, well as plans go we had to improvise so yes and no. The trolley was Doug Ramsey’s lab. Judy stole it to bring the evidence to you but we lost control of the trolley when the rams attacked us. There were two back in the tunnel at the old Banyon Street Station. They were not in police uniforms… Woolter and Jesse… I think? I did not hear any last names…”

“Okay, got it. Wolford, send your trackers to Banyon Street. See if they can run down those rams? Enough for now Mr. Wilde, we can debrief you both later.” The chief moved aside as a fox and a lioness with ZFD ZMS uniforms pushing a gurney with their medical kits on top ran up to the group.

“What do we have Chief? ” The fox said asked as he pulled a pair of scissors off his belt so he could cut off the bandage Nick had made using his neckerchief.

Judy stopped the paramedic, “Please, don’t cut that. It’s important to me.”

The fox simply nodded and untied it, then handed the bloody garment over to the rabbit who balled into her fist like something precious then closed her eyes in pain as Nick moved closer towards her.

“How did she get this wound? The lioness asked, “It’s a severe cut. We should have come CODE-3 Chief?

“She cut it on a mammoth tusk,” Nick replied.

Chief Bogo stepped between the ZFD medics and with a furrowed brow he placed a hoof on the shoulder of each medic to express the gravity of the situation with a quiet but intense command, “I’ll explain later, for now… you two are not here and you did not pick up Officer Hopps This is extremely critical. UNDERSTOOD?” Then with less sternness, “Lucy, Reg, I mean it… it’s important and complicated. I’ll clear it with Fire Station Captain O’Mally.”

The ZFD medics never stopped treating their patient and just gave a simultaneous, “Understood.” Reggie cut Judy’s pantleg up above the wound and began cleaning her fur so he could examine it. The lioness moved a large hard-sided medical case with vent holes, down off the gurney next to Judy. "Okay doc..." Out of the case came a rat in medical scrubs , wearing a headset and rubber boots and gloves. The rat put a stethoscope around his neck then scurried up Judy's leg to inspect the wound not once caring about the huge water buffalo towering in consternation above him.

“It’s deep into the muscle and bleeding from severely. She’ll need surgery to close it up and repair the muscle damage. We'll need to pack it and wrap it for now.”

"Doc Ratilviston, I, I did not know they had requested you?" Chief inquired.

“Don’t worry Chief Bogo, I heard you, I’m here for the patient, you do the cop stuff,” the rat wave up to the Chief and continues his examination.

"Chief Pennington has made it protocol to have a rodent surgeon on duty with all ZFD EMT units. It's a trial program." Oficer Pennington spoke up. “My father, Fire Chief Pennington is very progressive when it came to staffing the Zootopia Fire Department; he understands the advantages of the diverse capabilities of small to large, predator and prey all working together using their unique abilities to save mammals in peril. It was his foresight that the Mammal Inclusion Initiative was actually based on. Having Rodent surgeons give the EMT’s on-site critical care supervision and in case of severe trauma the tiny surgeons can even enter wounds on large mammals to stitch arteries and stabilize patients.”

Francine was a ZPD officer, and though she was loyal to the Chief and the police commissioner, even as the largest officer on the force she took issue with the stubbornness of the old-guard thinking of the ZPD refusing small mammals into their ranks. And though the medics and the small rodent docter never said a word once Francine spoke up they just went to work and nodded their agreement. Reggie giving a fist bump to Francine’s trunk as she mentioned her father with pride.

Chief Bogo just acknowledge the statement with a overtly loud “hmmph” from his flared nostrils as her refuse to make eye contact with the large African elephant officer. “Very well, very well, doctor time is sensitive and not just due to officer Hopps injury…”

After the medics had professionally wrapped Judy’s leg per the rat doctor's instruction, even Nick could see the new bandages beginning to tinge slightly with fresh blood. The severity of Judy’s wound did not escape the rodent doctor as he spoke to his team with urgency, “We need to get her to ER. Lucy, help Reggie lift her onto the gurney.” but before the lioness could reach down to lift the doe Nick pushed her arms away.

“I’ll do it.” Nick stated, keeping his eyes on Judy’s pain-stricken face, he gently reached under her legs and back and lifted the doe. Nick’s teeth gritted together as pain shot through his ribs but he did not let it show to the mammals around him Judy as he set her onto the gurney.

“Wow, you’re pretty strong for a fox, well thanks Mr. Wilde, we got it from here.” Lucy said as she grabbed her gear.

“Wait, I’m going with Carrots, I mean Officer Hopps. I don’t trust any of you, so I am going to make sure she gets treated…”

“Mr. Wilde, we can’t let you go and she will be in good paws—”

“The fox goes with Officer Hopps, Reggie, my orders.” Chief Bogo interrupted. “And no lights, I’ll have two units escort you to the security level at ZGH. Stay off the radio, got it?”

“Sure, Chief, but why all the security and why do we need to bring the fox… a… Mr. Wilde.”

“Doctor, Officer Hopps and Mr, Wilde are witnesses to the conspirators that have been causing predators to go savage.” The chief said with a concern about the depth of the secret he had just revealed to the two ZMS team members and the small rodent surgeon. It was clear by their expressions what the chief’s words had meant, and the weight of the responsibility that had just been placed upon them. “We have traitors within our own leadership and within the ZPD, but I know all of you personally, so I know I can trust you to handle these two mammals with the honor a devotion to their care and to this city you have always shown. Their safety is paramount, not only to them but to the lives of possibly countless other mammals… that’s all I can say at this time”

“Understood Chief Bogo, but we will have to report something in to dispatch…”

“How about we report picking up an intoxicated mammal that was tazed by ZPD from a vagrancy call. Just include that a ZPD officer was injured in the scuffle. It will give a reason for the police escort while being code 2.” Lucy said.

“That’ll work. Get moving!” The chief then helped Lucy put the gurney with Judy into the back of the ambulance as Nick kept a hold of her paw the entire time. Reggie jumped in the front and the ambulance and along with two ZPD patrol cars, left the museum’s underground loading dock out into back alleys of Savannah Central’s City Center heading for Zootopia General Hospital.

After a couple blocks, Judy, her eyes still closed from pain, though the meds she was given had begun to reduce it quickly, suddenly felt Nick’s paw release hers, “Nick, Nick, you okay…Nick!” she yelled as he saw her friend collapse out of the seat he was riding into next to her. Before the lioness medic could react, the fox passed out onto the floor of the ambulance. Doctor Ratilviston scrambled down to Nick, looked into the fox’s eyes forced shut from pain, then the rat doctor moved down to Nick’s chest with his stethoscope and began to examine the fox’s gurgled breathing. Lucy, pressed the ambulance intercom, “Reggie, pull over and get back here now. The fox just collapsed.”

Ratilvston pressed a button on his headset, "Reggie, don't stop. CODE- 3 to Zootopia General Trauma Center. this fox is bleeding to death!"


	2. Prologue 2 The Night Howler—Night at the Museum Fall-Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy finds herself in a strange hospital and has to figure out what has happened to Nick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its been a very busy couple of days, I cannot guarantee my posting schedule but as I am a Zootopia fanatic I plan on going at my own pace an chugging it out. As for disclaimers... never understood that. I'm not selling a thing here so basically I am just offing my opinion of how I would like the story to go. And if I do not own the rights to any Disney intellectual property, then I cannot in good standing demand intellectual property to characters that I come up with while using their characters as well. Enough lawyer speak. If you enjoy my dribble...great. Constructive criticism is appreciated and encourage. Once this ball gets rolling I plan on letting this story get a bit interactive and letting you all help with the direction the plot goes... hmmm that could get very interesting.

**Prologue 2  
The Night Howler—Night at the Museum Fall-Out?**

**_Secure Wing of Zootopia General Hospital; 2 years, 6 months before present day:_ **

Judy’s ears picked up at the sound of quiet voices coming down the hall and the click clack of caster wheels rolling across the seams of the floor tiles. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she pushed herself up in the hospital bed that was sized for at least a tiger; trying to see through the blinds of her window into the hall. The dim overhead lights of the room across the hall came on as several mammals in medical scrubs rolled a bed into the room; the mammal within connected to IV drips and electronic monitors. Judy could not tell whom it was and that only made her stomach twist even more with the worry about the fox she had last seen in the Natural History Museum.

_‘Nick, where are you? Why would you leave me alone in this hospital? Why won’t anyone tell me where you went?’_

Judy’s thoughts were eating her alive with both worry and sadness. Had the fox she had put her trust in bolted as the police arrived when he found his chance. She wouldn’t blame him for all she had done. Worse though was her lingering thought that he was blamed for her injuries by the very mammals that were supposed to be her brothers in blue; what would they do to a fox found with and injured rabbit and the former officer they had all let down? The thought terrified Judy as she frantically searched for her phone, but after looking as best she could around the confines of her bed, she realized she had no belongings at all, not even the clothes she had on before, just the small hospital gown she now wore. To add to all of her anxiousness was that fact that she could not remember anything after being placed into the ambulance…

_‘how long ago was that, how long have I been in this hospital? Oh Nick where are you?’_

The lights went out in the room across the hall as the mammals attending to their patient left the room.

“Hazel, can you check on Officer Hopps, don’t disturb her if she’s resting but get her vitals if you can?”

“Sure, doctor. Anything else before I head over to the other side? Would you like me to bring you some tea?”

“No thank you. I am fine for now. Nurse Anna should be in shortly then I will be making my rounds. Remember the new protocols, absolutely no one enters the secure wing that is not on the ZPD verified list, no exceptions.”

“Understood doctor.”

The end of the conversation had Judy’s mind switching back into cop mode… she needed information on her situation but was not sure she could trust the staff to be up front. What should she do. As Judy’s exceptional hearing heard the footfalls of the nurse, she pulled the sheet over her shoulders and closed her eyes. Mammals in the ZPD were trained to used their exceptional abilities for their specific species. Unfortunately for Judy, the ZPA had never had a rabbit cadet so they did not know much about the ability of rabbits to track sound. Many mammals had great hearing, many as good as if not better than rabbits; many foxes for example could hear the slightest sound better than a rabbit. What made the exceptional hearing of a rabbit so special was their ability to track it spatially, almost like a bat. Rabbits could not send out an ultra-high frequency sound to eco-locate objects like bats, they could however locate pretty much anything or mammal that was making sound. Judy could tell by the sound of the nurse’s hoof falls she was a smaller prey like a Springbuck or similar. She followed the sound to the side of her bed. The sounds were purposely soft as if trying to keep from waking her. Her gate was motherly rather than official, which was a good sign Judy thought.

“Poor girl is out still and her nose is twitching… must be having a bad dream.” The nurse whispered.

 _‘Stupid traitor rabbit nose’_ Judy chastised herself.

The nurse gently took Judy’s pulse, and temperature and marked them on her computer. She lifted the sheet to look at Judy’s leg then lowered it back down. “Don’t worry little one you and your foxy friend over there will be just fine.”

Judy’s ears shifted with the mention of her foxy friend but the nurse did not notice as she was reaching to pull a blanket up from the foot of the bed and tuck it gently around Judy’s shoulders. The nurse switched off the small overhead light and left the room. Judy listened for the sound of the nurse’s hooves to fade down the hall before she pulled herself out from under the covers. Her fox was safe, well she assumed that it had to be her fox in the next room so she was going to go make sure and not let him wake up alone.

Judy looked around the room she was in and quickly noticed something was off if this was actually a hospital. The room was spacious enough for a large predator: a grisly or even a prey as large as a hippo. The room has the modern amenities of most hospitals connected to the wall above her large modern bed but that is where the normal hospital vibe ended. The one window that allowed the lights the Zootopian cityscape to fill the room had all the siding removed down to the bare cinder blocks and steel as if preparation to remove or expand it. The opposing wall appeared to be some kind of heavy reinforced panels that had been recently installed and the floor had been stripped down to the concrete. The glass wall on the hallway side seemed normal at first glance with the floor to ceiling blinds but upon closer inspection the glass appeared to be something you would see at the city aquarium with heavy steel plate between the seams. Though the massive sliding door was left open the edge betrayed the thickness and as far as Judy could tell if it were close it would hold the impact of McHorn’s best charge.

‘ _What or where am I’_ the rabbit almost said aloud as she tried to get out of bed before her leg reminder her she was not going to walk anywhere. But Judy was not a cop out of chance, pulling the rolling stool next to the bed she slid her rear onto the soft cushion then pressed the control arm to let it lower to its lowest setting. With her good leg she pushed of and rolled across the room to the opposing wall. The Nylon casters kept the motion quiet on the concrete floor. Another push off that wall and a spin of her hips and she was at the door opening.

‘ _Good, Nicks room’s door is open as well… if that’s Nick’s room?’_

Judy pushed her ears back as she peaked down the hall. The end of the hall had large sliding security doors and as far as she could tell the other rooms were either unoccupied or in a state of rebuilding such as hers. This just added to her uneasiness as to why she and only one other mammal would be placed in such a place if this were a hospital. But she could see a what appeared to be a nurse’s station through the security doors and the Springbuck nurse working at her computer. Well Judy Hopps was insatiable when her curiosity got between her ears and so with another quick push she shot across the dimly lit hallway into the darkness of the room on the other side. With a shift of her hips she met the wall of the dark room with her good leg with a soft _‘oof’_ and brought her ride to a safe stop. ‘ _Little much on the push Jude’_ she scolded herself.

Judy looked over her shoulder at the large bed to see if she had disturbed its occupant. The only light in the room was the glow of the monitoring equipment: IV pump digital screen and one larger computer screen that showed the various vitals and a rhythmic glow pulsing with the soft sounds of the oxygen ventilator. Judy’s heart sank though she couldn’t even see over the edge of the bed to see who the poor mammal was. Fortunately, this room was still in more of its original state and thus the paw holds of various mammal sizes where attached to the one un-refurbished wall allowing the doe to shimmy herself on her stool over to the bed. With her good leg she reached down and pressed the pedal that allowed the large stool to extend but not accounting for her small size the stool shot up catapulting her a good meter into the air. In her shock she grabbed the bed rail in front of her but this made things worse as it flipped her over the rail and landed her very unceremoniously on the bed next to the unconscious patient. The only saving grace was the bed was built for a large tiger at minimum. Though she tried to turn over she was now hampered by an injured leg and her one size fits none hospital gown that had wrapped itself around her and under her in a bundled cocoon. “Oh, turnups stew Hopps!” she actually said out loud. Still, almost immediately she knew, though she did not have a foxes nose the scent of her best friend had now become unmistakable to her, that musky spice, one of those scents that just sticks in your memory and in a special way your heart, like her grandpapas pipe in his study—though it should be offensive it had become comforting and full of memories.

“Nick, I…”

“Your fox friend will be fine miss Hopps,” followed by a rich a deep belly laugh from out of the darkness on the other side of the bed. A small dim sidelight came on, illuminating the graying fur of and elderly lynx wearing medical scrubs and thin rimmed spectacles. “Ushtancat mushi,” he said as he held out one of his large furry paws, then laughed again… “Oh let me help you out of that mess.”

She watched the lynx disappear back into the dark then come back into the small bit of light on her side of the bed. He lowered the railing and lifted the nurse call button. “Hazel my dear, are you there?”

“Yes doctor, do you need help?”

“Well… we have a situation,” he smiled down at the rabbit, “Has Anna arrived?”

“Yes, I was just giving report?”

“Good, good. Come down to Mr Wilde’s room now… and Hazel… you owe me lunch!”

“Wait, What? She didn’t? But how… that doe is in so much trouble. She is supposed to stay off that leg!”

“Yes she did and well, you will have to see for yourself.”

Judy’s ears folded over her eyes as she could her the steps of the nurses rushing down the hall, both hooves and claw taps plus a new voice laughing at the expense of the other.

“Ushtancat mushi,” The lynx said again as he lightly shook Judys tangled paw, “I will let one of the nurses untangle you but do not worry,” he continued as he checked the IV lines and the monitoring equipment, “your little acrobatic stunt did no damage though it gave this old cat a good laugh.”

“How is he, where are we, what happened to him, us…”

“Suli, suli, little one, all in good time,” came the fatherly voice of the lynx. “Though it may not look so, this is Zootopia General Hospital, now …ah Anna, Hazel, miss Hopps here has gotten herself into a bit of a snare. I think it would be proper for one of you to help her out rather than this old grey cat.”

“Miss Hopps,” Nurse Hazel began, “you have no reason to be stressing that leg..”

“I didn’t, I, I used the stool” Judy tilted her head used her ears to point to the device with its seat now extended to its full height next to the bed.

“I told you she would be resourceful.” The doctor said as he turned so the nurses could free Judy without embarrassment from the male lynx as they unwrapped the doe from her gown cocoon

“Still those bandages are now stained Miss Hopps. You need to be carefu—”

“I, I had to see if Nick was, was okay. It was my fault he was involved in all this. I had too—”

Anna, a soft spoken but very large bearcat spoke up, “None of that now little one. Okay, better? You can sit right there on the bed as we check out your fox friend. But Let Hazel check that leg okay. I am sure your friend here would not want you to re-injure yourself now would he.”

“All decent now, good, good. Let’s tend to Mr. Wilde before he begins to wake on his own in a panic, shall we.”

As Hazel tended to Judy’s leg the doe watched Anna and the lynx move to the other side to tend to Nick, “Uh, I’m sorry doctor, I didn’t get your name? And that dialect, Northern forests but I don’t recognize it. My Mother speaks some but I never picked it up that much.”

“Oh, my old manners, my name is Nhuvujy Ukiuqi, though these pains in my tail here just call me Doc Nujy. I am from the far north country in the Canadia territories. So is Nurse Anna, well not by birth but she is a straggler who just keeps me on my paws”

“Someone needs to, you keep losing your glasses.”

“Right, right, well to your fox her my dear. He had himself a good little scrap for sure.” The lynx spoke quietly as he listened to Nick’s lungs with his stethoscope, “several broken ribs. One had puncture his left lower lung and caused it to fill the tissue wall with blood and then the lung itself. If he had not gotten into that ambulance with you he would have been dead before another one reached him.”

“Will he be—”

“He’ll recover fine, but that’s not so much our immediate worry and is why I am glad you are here.”

Judy’s head turned with a curious look of concern.

“You see from my time in the north each year, In the villages I treat many mammals, Wolves and foxes especially do not like hospitals. It’s some kind of instinctual thing…not really sure but they can panic severely and with Mr. Wilde being intubated, we need to bring him out and make him comfortable before he wakes up and injures himself in a panic.”

“Oh, but how can I help?”

Just being near him I would guess. Foxes are very scent oriented and if you can slide yourself up to his muzzle and just help hold him… once we remove the tube we will turn down the sedative and bring him out slowly. Sense of smell is one of the first thing that will wake to his mind. Is that fine with you Officer Hopps?” the doctor used her title to give a sense of duty to the request but it would not have been needed. Judy would do anything to help her friend that she had done so much harm to.

Doctor Nujy with nurse Anna’s help removed the intubation tube but then began to put a long narrow mask over Nick’s muzzle.

“Doctor, I am worried about the oxygen mask. You see Nick has a traumatic experience with muzzles and this is pretty much a muzzle.”

“Ah, well that could be a problem. Hazel, so we have any nasal cannulas that will work?”

The nurse rifled through the supply drawers of the oxygen cart, “Well this one is a bit long on the tips but I can snip them off, good yes, this should work. I’ll have to tape the tubes to the top of his snout to hold them in place, won’t be fun coming off but it’ll do if I turn the O-2 up all the way.”

After a few minutes of making sure the foxes vitals stayed within a healthy range and a short but tense debate finally deciding to strap Nick down for his own safety, with Judy’s eventual consent. Finally, the sedative drip was turned off and a medication was given to help the fox come out of his sleep

First was his tail, just a flicker, then it began to whip back and forth with agitation. Soon his paws were pulling up on the restraints. There were snaps and clicks and whines and eventual words but hard to understand until they became very lucid! “Run!, Get Away from me! I’m,… savage… away… don’t want to kill! Please don’t let me kill her! NO, no, no, no…NO!” and his eyes came open with sharp canines snapping at the air as if to defend against something.

Judy was pulled back away from the snapping fox just in time by the lynx… “Let him settle!”

Within seconds the snapping stopped as the fox just thrashed around in fear, pulling against his restraints and forcing the oxygen hose off his nostrils. His breathing quickly became shallow and ragged.

“Turn up the lights just a bit Hazel so he can see his bunny”

Judy turned to look at the lynx with a blush rushing up her ears then back to Nick as she reached for his muzzle without fear. “I’m here Nick, Its’ me, your Carrots, I’m here. You didn’t hurt me. Your safe. I’m safe, that’s it calm down…” and the fox calmed to the rabbits voice, touch and smell as he sniffed the air in recognition of her. Tears flowed from his eyes now.

J… Judy, you are alright, I , I thought, I dreamt I killed you.” Nicks paws had been loosened as he found the rabbit now hugging him deeply and he moved his paws to hug her back. He did not even mind as Anna put the cannula back into his nostrils.

“You need the oxygen Mr. Wilde”

A beeper went off on Hazels belt and she shot off out the door and down the hall without a word. “I think you have this now Anna, I better go see what’s going on over in S.M.C.” doctor Nujy said looking down at his pager. “Their Chief will be here in the morning so he can answer all the tough questions.” And he was out the door as quick as Hazel.

“Okay you two. I need a bit of space to check Mr. Wilde’s vitals and his bandages—”

“She can stay… ah I mean if… she wants she can stay if that is okay?” Nick said almost as a whisper.

“I will, If you need me to”

“Y…yes, just for a bit… I mean you’re a cop so you should get squeamish or anything right?”

“Well with the gown I don’t think seeing a bit of shaved fur and stiches is what you need to worry about Slick.”

Nick looked down at the hospital gown that had now ridden up well above his knees and quickly grabbed the sheet. “Is it too late to change rooms Nurse… or hospitals”

After the Nurse had done her job and made sure Nick was settled back with all his meds, telemetry and oxygen, she excused herself, promising that she was just a few steps down the hall. “And Judy, when you want to go back to your room press the call button and I will help you or if you need to use the facilities… Its getting late and you both need your rest but I will give you some time.”

The two were both wiped out and sat in the large bed against the pillows shoulder to shoulder with eyes getting heavier, “I should go and let you sleep”

“No, please… I know this, well this a bit much to ask from a fox but can you stay… just for a while”

“I can, Its not like I have anywhere else to go but a room that is in a even bigger state of remodel than yours. Besides, I like the fluffy pillow.”

Ugh, rabbits…” Nick said as his eyes closed.

“Deal with it fox, I’m tired and your shoulder is soft so don’t read into it anything more than that.”

“Oh for a carrot pen.”

“It’s in evidence… so your word against mine and I, well I use to be a cop once…” then she was out.

Nick opened his left eye. Those last words woke him a bit to the reality of the situation that Judy Hopps had put herself in. He was just a shifty street fox after all. Bet she could have been a great officer… what will they do to her now? With the paw that had the IV line he pulled up the sheet over the both of them then turned his muzzle away from her to give her just a bit of space. He let his mind and the meds take him back to sleep listening to the quiet breaths of the rabbit next to him.

**_The next morning:_ **

“Miss Hopps, come on honey, we need to get you up.” Coaxed the gentle nurse Anna

“Oh my gosh, I, I must have fallen asleep, its not… well” Judy half-awake and realizing she was still in Nick’s bed, now very self-conscious tried to explain her actions.

“No worries Judy, may I call you Judy… good, your fine and there is nothing to be self-conscious or embarrassed about. I just assumed you would like to get cleaned up in your room as. I need to get some vitals and look at your leg. Mr. Wilde is going to need an examination this morning and some test so we will bring you back soon, is that okay.”

A very tired looking Doctor Nujy stepped in, “ I will let him know where you have been my dear.”

“Doctor, have you been here all night?”

“Life of a trauma surgeon, you take catnaps where you can. I managed at least three last night between calls. Now boys only sign going up so begone with you flirtatious females.”

As the ladies went across the hall Nick stirred awake, “Oh hey doc…uh ruttin hell put me back to sleep will ya”

“Pain meds coming, It’s going to be bad for a while, ribs are not good my boy.” The lynx injected some meds into Nicks IV line. Now lets take a look at those incisions.

Nick winced, “how much of my precious fur di they shave off, just give it to me straight doc, will I need to give up my membership to the naturalist club?”

“You too huh, love that place, great stress relief… don’t worry my son just some wound jell to clean out of your fur. If you had gone anywhere else you would have been shaved from armpit to your hip but through the miracle of science you just have 3 small incisions and one 3 inch shaved section over your lower rib cage.”

“Thank the creator!” Nick settled back in relief. The meds had started to take effect as well and his agitation and fear that he was not furless was gone. “Great job doc.”

It wasn’t me, It was Doc Ratvelson, the doctor that brought you in….and no he did not crawl into you so close that muzzle. Kovak system surgical robotic systems…allows a rat to work on mammals the size of an elephant or an Old lynx like myself to do heart surgery on a mouse if needed. Actually, Doctor Ratvelson is one of the best on the system. Lucky, he had you brought here.”

“And where exactly is here, I mean obviously its ZGH but where are we? It’s kind of creepy” Judy said from her wheel chair as Anna pushed her back into Nicks room.

The lynx gave out a long sigh, “Okay, you may want to get up on the bed next to your friend. Good. You are on the unfinished wing of the Savage Mammal Containment security floor for Zootopia General”

“WHAT!?”

“Its the safest place we could find for you two, chief’s orders. Through the two security doors past the nurses station are two more finished wings that contain no less than 27 savage mammals. When all this started this was just going to be an addition to the large mammals’ section of the new tower. We needed a facility fast and as it had reinforced floors and walls it only took some minor improvement to strip out some amenities and put in the extra security to safely hold savage mammals. This section is not yet needed and with you finding the real cause hopefully the other two wings will suffice for now. Our staff all are verified by a select few from the ZPD and Kovak labs who are currently working on a cure. So by keeping you next to the most dangerous mammals in the city we are hiding you from the most evil mammals in the city… as you kits say cool, right?”

Nick and Judy sat there speechless as Anna and Nujy looked at one another as well. I guess they just can’t believe what a great idea it was doctor,” Anna said.

It had been over two days since the rabbit and fox saved the city or what the press would later call the “Night Howler Conspiracy” by foiling Bellwether’s plan and managing to record a confession of her involvement in its inception. As of now the press was still un-aware of the events in the Museum of Natural History, where Mayor Bellwether’s plot had fallen apart and her attempt to use the toxin to have Nicholas Wilde kill Judy Hopps had failed as the sly fox switched toxin pellets for blue berries and pretended to go savage to draw out the confession of the hate inspired ewe and her henchmen.

Judy Hopp’s had received a serious injury to her leg and considering the situation, Chief Bogo had both her and Nicholas Wilde, the fox that helped her, rushed into the back entrance of the trauma center at Zootopia General Hospital. She had been moved to an older part of the hospital under guard of ZPD detectives. All the personnel involved in protecting the doe and tod were dressed in hospital employee uniforms. Their phones had been taken and the two mammals had been placed in protective custody within the hospital. Nicholas Wilde had sustained several broken ribs from the ram the head-butted the fox and rabbit into the museum display; one rib puncturing the fox’s lung that required emergency surgery.

They had received little information from the staff, other than where they were, just that they would get informed when the chief finally arrived. Until then they were not allowed to leave the odd wing of the Hospital and they had no contact with the outside world except through the windows of Judy’s room. Anna, who had a shift on the second day finally confronted a large grey and white wolf officer demanding that if the Chief did not come down and give her patients some piece of mind she would be giving him a piece of hers and if need be taking her patients on a much-needed tour of the hospital’s rooftop gardens.

The reynard stared out the small window of the hospital room that looked over the back side of the trauma center—one arm on the window ledge and one over his tender bandaged ribs. The view was of rooftops and service alleys but out in the distance, beyond the industrial buildings and office complexes, he could see the brilliant colors of the mammal made jungle canopy of the Rain Forest District reaching up to catch the last waves of golden light from the setting sun. The fox frowned as for the sixth time today as emergency response medical helicopter landed on one of the trauma center’s helipads.

“They are having a very busy day down there, fluff,” he said while continuing to look out the window as he could see mammals in scrubs rush out on the pad to assist the EMT’s disembarking the chopper with their patient. IV’s and Plasma bags easily visible in the flood lights of the helipad.

“Nick, do you think it’s because of us… because of what we found out?” The injured rabbit said cautiously laying on her side in the bed looking toward the fox.

“Carrots, I don’t like that tone. It may be, maybe not, but either way it’s not your fault, it’s that ewe and her hatred of predators. And, well… I don’t trust anyone at this point… including that buffulo”

“Nick, are you saying the ZPD are involved—”

“Quiet Fluff, remember who knocked us down into the museum display… a ram in a ZPD uniform,” Nick quietly reminded her.

“You’re absolutely right Mr. Wilde.” The ‘buffalo’ that Nick did not trust and the Chief of the ZPD said, as he stepped into Judy Hopps’ hospital room. “I am sad to say that the ZPD has been compromised by bigoted hate-filled mammals answering to Mayor Bellwether. We think we have located all of them… well most… and have detained them, but we have operation on going as we speak as more intelligence is uncovered. Things are happening very fast and we are trying to find the members of this group before the press and the rest of the group discover that their plot has been revealed. You two have saved this city from a very sinister plan to force all predators out or have them medically locked up.” The cape buffalo’s tone was almost apologetic as his presence filled the room. His voice was still as gruff and forceful, but his anger was obviously focused toward an enemy that had infiltrated the ranks of his charge and it had worn on the mammal. There was much more he was not saying. Much worse news he had not told the two. “But… until we know who all is involved we can’t release the information about Bellwether to the press. We just don’t know if she was the head of this thing or it goes higher, and how many are involved.”

“The trauma center has been busy.” Nick stated the obvious question continuing to look out the window as the air-med chopper lifted back off into the late evening sky. It’s lights flashing against the city scape spanning out towards the dark horizon of the Rain Forest district, as it banked to head towards the Meadowlands district.

Chief Bogo stooped lower as he stepped deeper into the room, “It has been a costly forty-eight hours; many of those mammals did not want to come in willingly or peacefully… and… it’s not over.”

Judy had never taken her eyes of the fox the entire time as she lay exhausted on her side in her hospital bed. As the Chief spoke of the possibility of fellow ZPD officers being injured or worse maybe, she thought, tears welled up drenching the fur in streaks down her cheeks.

“So it’s all a lie, the dream of Zootopia, the hope of mammals living together in peace… a lie.” Judy tearful words even caused the street worn fox to feel shame that the bunny had lost her dream about the city she wanted to serve all her entire life. All he could do is hang his head.

“Shut it, Officer Hopps.” Came the gruff voice of the chief. “Pull yourself together and stow that ‘woe is me little calf’ attitude. I don’t need officers that quit when things get tough.” the buffalo could see anger building behind the eyes of the fox as his brow furrowed and his teeth began to bare. “You too Wilde, If I want your opinion right now I will let you know—got it?” The large officer did not wait for a response but continued despite the fox’s glare, “Now Hopps, this city is much more than a few dozen sick headed mammals trying to use fear and hate to destroy the dream of Zootopia. Yes, they had a powerful weapon—fear, but there are over ten million mammals from hundreds of species that many have migrated here from all around the world, living in this city. Why? Because they all have the same desire—to make this experiment work. The mayor doesn’t run the city, the ZPD doesn’t run the city, even the city council doesn’t run this city. This city run’s because the mammals here want it to run.”

The Chief found a large stool to sit on then leaned an elbow on his knee and looked at the fox as well as Judy. “Wilde, that includes the crime bosses. They make too much money to have this great city fail. Yes, this city is just like any other in some ways. It has crime like all others, greed like all others, poverty and blight like all others. We are imperfect mammals after-all. This city is a special place in spite of what your street hustling friends may have told you, and I will go down fighting to protect if Officer Hopps.”

The two small mammals could see the that the large buffalo was all but spent, probably not having slept in the last forty-eight hours, but was running on determination alone—determination to protect his city, determination to not let the evildoers win, determination to uphold the oath he gave to serve and protect.

“Chief, I already gave up… I turned in my badge… I…”

“Well, about that,” The chief gave a tired smile, “you see, I kind of misplace your paperwork. Hopps… I have a confession to make. Like I said before, I knew something was up. There were transfers and position changes being made within the ZPD. Very slowly at first, but it was obvious to me that someone within the City Council was trying to change the ZPD by removing predators and loyal prey mammals and replacing them with transferred in prey officers. That is why when that Mammal Inclusion Initiative was announced I became even more distrustful of the City government. When they assigned a no-experienced rabbit from Bunny Burrow to Precinct One… well—”

“You assumed she was a plant, like the others.” Nick said as he stepped over to be near Judy, almost as if to protect her.

“Think about it, both of you… be honest. I know Hopps—top of your class. Do you know that ZPA graduate status has not played into a single other mammal’s appointment to Precinct One? We have officers that barely scored enough to graduate, but… after a couple of years on the streets they proved themselves exceptional officers. Precinct One is the only multi-jurisdictional Precinct in the city because it is the elite squad. All officers are or have been personally screened and chosen by myself and a review team that includes ranked officers and detectives, and with a great deal of experience. So, tell me Officer Hopps, if you were in my hooves do you believe I would have chosen you to be in Precinct One, or maybe started you out as possibly a sheriff deputy in the burrow precincts or on the ground floor of the Meadowlands?”

Judy did not answer right away. She turned her head toward the ceiling.

The demeaner of the large bovidae officer suddenly changed as he put a hoof between his eyes. His voice became lower but much more serious, “This is as much my fault as yours Hopp’s. I let my fears and…” his eyes glanced at the fox, “prejudices I have fought to distinguish from my ranks cloud my judgement…” he sighed, “of you, of your friend, of the situation. I should have given you the benefit of the doubt and treated you like any other officer. You may have trusted me then and all of this mess…”

“Mess, she saved the city… saved your behind…”

“Mr. Wilde, I know what she did and I know what I failed to do. Tell me Mr. Wilde, as you were so instrumental in the case against Mayor Lionheart, what did our young enthusiastic officer do wrong this time? It’s in your debrief after all, so… go ahead.” The chief folded his arms across his chest rolling one hoof in a sign for Nick to take over the discussion.

Nick looked at Judy with sorrowful eyes, his ears pinned back and tail flicking nervously behind him. Before he could say a thing, the bunny spoke, realizing her mistakes, her words were painful and self-deprecating to here, “I, I should have called for back-up. When I found Doug’s lab. Nick tried to stop me but I just wouldn’t listen. I should have recorded the evidence on video or taken some samples and called for help but… but..”

“But you rushed forward without thinking of the consequences of your actions?” Bogo said to finish her statement.

“If she didn’t, Doug would have found another tar…”

“That Ram is still out there and still targeting predators Mr. Wilde. We have him on the run be he is still armed and whomever is helping him may even be among our ranks—”

“Another reason she could not trust the ZPD.” The fox growled.”

“STOP,” Judy cried, “I… the Chief is right, I should have trusted him,” The doe’s tear filled eyes pierced Nick’s heart, “I just had to make things right again, I wanted you to know that I never meant to hurt you…” she said to Nick then before losing her voice, turned toward the Chief, “then, when we… Nick and I found the clues to the truth, I was so afraid that you would never believe me si because I went to a fox for help. I let my emotions cloud my judgement…”

The Chief stood up and opened the folder he was carrying after putting on reading glasses he carried in his front pocket, “…and that misjudgment that your wise young friend tried to keep you from making almost caused a collision between that trolley and a freight train on an elevated track over a busy downtown business district. Do you know how many lives could have been lost?”

Judy’s ears went flat as she faced that truth, her fox could not protect her from that pain, He would take all of it if he could. He had taken worse, much worse for most of his life but to see the rabbit that was prying his scarred heart open be hit with so much guilt was almost too much for him to allow. It was not over though.

“Then, luckily for you, the station that services the Museum was closed for remodel as well or the explosion from that trolley crash could have injured or killed many more… not to mention your friend there.”

The truth of Judy’s impulsiveness had never hit her so hard and painfully before as she looked at the one mammal she only met just a few months before but could not see a Zootopia that had a light left without him in it, or maybe even here existence; so black was the realization of what she could have done.

The chief sat down again and gestured toward the with a hoof and his eyes toward the fox to move to the doe and comfort her. Nick wrapped his arms around her, pulling her head to his shoulder, “Chief Bogo, are you saying, after exposing the truth that Judy could be blamed for all of this.”

“Hmmph… oh there are those that will want to blame someone for how that damned sheep was exposed… the enemy is amongst us after all. But there is enough blame to go around and so what I am saying is OFFICER, don’t expect a medal from the city council. I am doing everything I can to ensure that you… and your vulpine friend are insulated and do not and up in front of a grand jury inquiry for negligence. Honestly, knowing what you have done, I would promote you to detective and pin the ‘Honor of Duty’ medal on you in front of City Hall—I hope you understand now, the cluster rut you have put me into officer Hopps.” Bogo explained, emphasizing the words officer to make sure she understood that he accepted she still was a ZPD officer under his command.

The Chief closed the report back up and folded his glasses back onto his front pocket. “Okay, now that we are done with the tail chewing it’s time for me to let you understand… let you both understand, that what you did was some of the finest police work I have ever seen considering all the factors placed against you Officer Hopps.

Both the doe’s red swollen eyes and the fox’s muzzle turned up in a confused look. “And, Mr. Wilde you are very right, she needed help from a fox such as yourself as my entire force from myself down through the detectives, forensics, and beat officer were being fed disinformation that we are just now unraveling based on intelligence we just recently found after searching Bellwether’s and some of her cohorts’ computers, phones, and residents. Mr. Wilde, tell me, what is your opinion of that press conference knowing that it was set up by the assistance mayor’s office requesting Officer Hopps speak to the press at the last minute, against my judgment may I add?”

“I, I hadn’t stopped to think much about it. I was so… angry.” Nick turned away from Judy then looked up at the Chief, “But it makes sense now, I mean, Judy only repeated the words of the doctor at Cliffside and then using those closeups of the mammals that had gone savage… who would do that… the press maybe but not the government trying to reduce panic…”

“Exactly, Mr. Wilde., Your reaction was part of the plan as well as much of the city’s response. Divide and conquer, psychological warfare…”

“You are talking about terrorism?” Judy questioned.

The Chiefs lifted one brow. “Hmmph, much more than simple criminal intent or idealism. And I may ad for a plot this extreme to go unnoticed by even the likes of Antoine Big would take outside help.”

Ice suddenly shot through Nick’s veins. Ice colder and more terrifying than the depths of the eternal sleep under Mr Big’s mansion.

The Chief raised a single digit and leaned forward, “The one thing Bellwether did not anticipate though was you… the both of you. How important you had become to one another… a fox and a rabbit, predator and prey—two mammals that should have seen one another as enemies but felt a connection in such a way that it was the factor she could not anticipate. The press conference that drove you apart also drove Hopps to quit. And when you could not give up your duty to the truth and justice for the predators you felt you had betrayed, you seek out the one mammal you could trust that also was not being fed lies about the case.”

“So, Mr Wilde, now that you have spent some time working with Officer Hopps in the line of duty, do you think she has a grasp of the reality of the lives of the mammals living in the city?

“She’s just a bit, well naïve is not the word… I would say overly optimistic about the reality of how mammals live here. But, but she has a bigger heart and more empathy than any mammal I have ever met… she just needs to learn when to forget the rule book, and when to trust and ask for help.” Nick said the last sentence quietly with his paw on Judy’s paw and another stroking her ears. This was enough to coax the doe into turning her tear stained eyes back to the reynard. He whispered, “Such and emotional dumb bunny.” Causing her to give a tearful smile.

“You get her alright Mr. Wilde. You’d probably be a pretty good match to be her partner…” Judy immediately looked up wide eyed, her ears spiking up at the Chief as he paused for just a moment, “if she were still a cop. I wonder if you were serious when you filled this out.” The chief handed the fox a wrinkled piece of paper. “We found that in the museum display.”

Nick looked at Judy, “You kept it?”

Judy just made a tearful nod.

Chief Bogo looked at the paper and made a gruff huffing noise, “Nice piece of fiction Wilde.” Then, after nocking on the door to let in another officer, handed the application to Sergeant Wolford. Sergeant can you show Mr. Wilde back to his room across the hall.” Seeing the hesitation in the fox he added in a more forceful tone, “that was not a request Wilde, leave us.” He waived his hoof looking directly at Judy. Judy gave the fox a shallow nod of reassurance as Nick slowly walked out with the wolf—all the while keeping his untrusting gaze on the cape buffalo.

“Just remember,” Nick stepped in front of the Chief, “she showed more courage than any cop I ever met, so do what you want with me but she saved your tail chief.” 

The Chief just smiled at the fox and said quietly, “You’ll do just fine.”

As Nick was escorted across the hall he looked up to the large grey wolf, “What the hell does that mean?” the wolf just shrugged as he shut the door.

“What are you going to do to Nick sir?”

“Officer Hopps, I’m here to figure out what I’m going to do with you.”

“I’m not a cop sir, I resigned, and neither is Nick, so if you’re going to blame someone about those ZPD officer’s that have been…”

“Shut it Hopps!” the Chief boomed at the rabbit, “I am tired of you feeling sorry for yourself and apologizing.” The Chiefs shoulder sank, “I am the one that needs to apologize… and you might as well accept it as it is a rare day that I will ever say sorry for what I had to do, but I had to be sure of you. Now that I know I can trust you, I guess I need to make sure I can keep an I on you until you get the experience you need to be the cop I know you can be. So, for starters, as far as the ZPD goes, you have been on an undercover mission until now; and, you will not speak of these events until cleared by me—do you understand Officer Hopps?”

“But I resi..”

“You were on undercover training with a paid informant—is that clear? And you will not speak of this to no one or face insubordination charges along with your partner over there, got it?”

Judy lifted her head, her ears that were pinned flat behind her head were now standing strait up. She jumped up out of her bed to hug the buffalo even with her bandaged leg, standing on his lap. “Thanks Chief!” is all she could get out.

The elder cape buffalo had long learned to not get too close to any of his officers. He needed to be able to make clear decisions without letting personal feeling cloud his judgement. He had a long career of service, starting as a soldier, then beat officer, working his way up through the ranks from detective to watch commander, and now as the longest serving Chief of the ZPD. In that time, he had seen the worst of the job from losing partners and officers to serious injury, stress and even fatality. He cared deeply for his officers but knew that he had to keep an emotional distance—not only for the sake of his mammals but for own sake of emotional stability. So, when this country bunny who idolized the Chief and the ZPD he led, wrapped her soft but oddly strong small arms around his muscular neck, the two canids peeking through the blinds from the next room stood in shock with their maws open as the buffalo slowly and gently put a hoof on the doe’s back and settled into the hug with a subtle smile.

It only lasted a moment though, as if the seasoned officer knew he were being watched. He gave out a throat clearing cough, then put the bunny down back in her bed, also to the surprise of the voyeurs across the hall, pulling her arms off his neck, he said with contrived gruffness, “Officer Hopps! Never, do that again. I have a reputation of scaring the tails off my other officers. Now what can you tell me to convince me that your rather courageous fox over there is willing to leave his life of crime.”

The wolf and the fox both ducked as the blinds they had been holding open rattled closed. “Officer Wolford!” Bogo called yelled from Judy’s room, go get McHorn.”

“Yes Chief” The wolf hurried out of Nick room to summon the Rhino then ran back with the large mammal, his keen ears catching the end of the Chief’s conversation with Judy

“…what if he refuses Chief?” the doe asked was the question she clearly said through her open door the chief held as he looked back at her.

“He won’t if is half as smart as is mouth pretends to be.” is all he said as the large mammal closed her door and composed himself in the hall before entering the opposing room. “Officer Wolford, go get some coffee.”

“Yes Chief!” The Wolf took the opportunity to retreat but said, “Good luck, Wilde.” Before quickly exiting the private ward.

Nick realized the wolf used his name rather than calling him ‘fox’. It was a small gesture, but for the reynard it was significant as he faced the intimidating presence of the head of the ZPD.

“Mr. Wilde, how’s the ribs?

“Doing better sir. Thank you for letting me go in the ambulance with Officer Hopps by the way.” Nick replied, finding it difficult to look the Chief in the eyes.

The Chief waved off the thanks as if to say no problem then began speaking seriously, “When you filled out this form, were you serious, or were you playing another hustle on officer Hopps?... and before you speak, I know more about you than you have probably ever told anyone and at this point I don’t care about all that, I want to know the truth. I think she…,” Bogo pointed a hoof over to Judy’s room as Nick turned his head seeing Judy through the slats in the blinds standing at her window, “…deserves a moment of integrity.” The Chief found another stool and sat down, giving Nick a bit more time to think. “I have lost mammals, good mammals today, and I need good mammals. Not perfect, but mammals with a desire to serve to make a difference.” He held the worn application for a moment. “She obviously saw something in you and somehow I trust her instincts.” The chief handed the application back to Nick. “So, what do I tell her Wilde?”

Nick was without his silver tongue for the first time in his life. He had no idea how to move forward. “I really don’t know. She was the first mammal to ever really trust me. I want that I guess. I can’t really explain it. Do I want to be that rabbit officer’s partner? Yes, yes I do. Do I believe that could ever be in reality…” the fox lowered his muzzle, “you said you know me, know more about me than I have ever told anyone… ever told her… than I guess we both know the answer.”

The Chief wrapped his hoof on the door a couple of times giving the rhino outside a signal to open it just enough to hand him a satchel. He pulled out a red folder with a seal on it stamped ‘Classified: Chiefs Eyes Only’. Chief Bogo opened the folder containing a stack of information that appeared to be various forms such as record sheets from arrest, juvenile halls, and what appeared to be uncover police reports, with stacks of jam-cam footage prints and other forms of photography. Nick was taken aback by the depth of the information from the short glance he had.

The chief closed the folder back up and put it back in his satchel. “You know, I have a fire pit in my back yard that my wife and I like to relax around at night with a glass of wine. I often right my notes down for the day and will burn them as a way of releasing my tension… yes, it’s strange I know, but it’s my way of dealing with stress. So, I guess I always could use some extra paper to help start my fire. Least I could do for what you did for the city.”

“What’s it going to cost me…” The fox said looking out through the glass between the blind slats.

“Wilde, this is a one-time deal, a fresh start, like I said… this city owes you that much.” The chief put a hoof on the reynard’s shoulder, “You decide where you want to go from here. But Wilde, like you said, the rabbit in there saw something in you when, well, I think you even had given up seeing in yourself. I think you could give her balance and to be truthful I think the ZPD could use a mammal like you.”

“So, for my freedom I inform on my past associates?” Wilde said through the side of his maw.

“If we wanted you to do that Wilde we would have just arrested you. No… Wilde, there is a need for smaller mammals to help us build trust with similar mammals in Zootopia. We are not enforcers here. That’s not our mandate, not while I am chief anyway. We are to protect and serve, to make a difference, ‘To make the world a better place’ just as she believes.”

Nick turned to the Chief, “So, you are offering me a job then.”

The Chief straightened up and huffed a laugh, “Hell no Wilde, I’m just offering to approve your application to the academy—no favors. You have to make it through training. Oh, you do get to go through the accelerated training because of your street experience, then you will do on the job training with more experienced officers for days 2 days each week during your probationary period. Both of you will. I need you two up to speed. I need officers I can trust here at Precinct One.”

“You, you would trust me to be here… to be her partner? What about my file?” Wilde was looking between the chief and Judy now.

“First, I think your probably the only mammal safe to partner with Hopps, second, you’ll have to earn your trust with me but I am offering you that chance and third… what file?” The Chief stood up to step out the door. “Now I have some injured officers I need to visit… and unfortunate news I never want to give to the family of another, so you can understand if I leave you to give your decision to Officer Hopps.” On that last part the Chief became obviously sullen as he hurried through the door and quick marched down the hall with officer McHorn through the double doors of the private wing they were in. Nick just realized he was hustled into giving his answer to Judy, as the Chief knew it would be hard for him to fast talk the doe that he had become friends too.

Officer Wolford stepped back in as Nick asked him, “You could hear?”

“Yeah, pretty much, beside… I did much of the background work…”

“Rut’n hell, I know you seamed familiar in some way. Your scent I think? You… you’ve been at Mr Big’s mansion?” Nick looked at the wolf with accusatory eyes, his arms crossed.

“You have a good ability to remember scents. You know, you would make a good tracker. But yes, I’ve been undercover at Mr. Big’s.” Wolford gave a smirk. “Followed you and that little desert fox around a few times too… hey, but I was after different fish then.”

“You had a pretty decent dye job… all black except for a white grey streak across your muzzle and left eye… kind of made you look rather sinister.”

Wolford laughed, “Yep, that was me alright… but enough about my secrets” The wolf brushed his paw over his left ear and gave a good scratch. “…I’m just saying, I know you aren’t really a bad mammal and well we all have a past… things we wish we could change… but…” Wolford put a paw on Nick’s shoulder, “rarely do we get to really turn our lives around and make a difference. That bunny in there…” his ears and head cocked towards Judy’s room, “trusted you with her life and from what I understand you could have took off on her and not risked anything but you risked your life to protect her; so, no matter what the facts of the past are, in my view you deserve a second chance.”

Nick could have been upset but wasn’t. The wolf had treated him with respect and he had found some kind of connection there. Still, he wished Finnick was here. He looked at the wolf and then towards Judy’s door, “What should I tell her?” Wilde was surprised he was able to ask the wolf for advice but he really wanted some.

“Look, she’s been through a lot, you both have… you’ll know when and what you can tell her but she doesn’t need your life story now Nick. She needs a friend right now, that’s for sure, and I think you’re the first one she’s really made here. Wilde, like I said, we all have a past, hell… I bet she does too… she sure as hell doesn’t care about that though. Anyway, I’ll be at the nurses’ station if you need anything. Just buzz.”

Before the wolf left, Nick looked at him and asked, “So, like the Chief said, it’s been bad?”

“You’ve been here all your life, well, remember they outlawed firearms 20 years ago within the city. The ones we tried to arrest were armed to the teeth. We didn’t have enough lethals except for the special SWAT units; we had to open the armory. Officer Jagson had an M-5 that probably hadn’t been fired in the last ten years. It jammed and he took 3 rounds in return to the chest and one in the neck; bled out before the med-techs could get to him. It’s a new game now Wilde… for all of us… and yes,” Wolford gestured his ears to the rabbit’s room, “she knows, but just asked the Chief when she could get back out there after he said she still had a job; damn courageous rabbit.” Nick gave just a partial smile and shook his head slightly. With that the wolf left, leaving the dark hall with the only two lit rooms as the fox walked slowly from one room across to the next.

“Nick, you’re still here…” came the emotional but excited voice of the bunny in the other room…


	3. Prologue 3 The Mission—Was Volunteering Ever Really a Choice?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She trained for this... but was she ready? Hours of simulator time and more hours of training missions but on the horizon, beyond the glow of foreign cities, deep into enemy jungles lay her goal, her mission. And it may end before it even gets started.

**Prologue 3  
The Mission—Was Volunteering Ever Really a Choice?**

North of Malabo; 3 years, 6 months before present day:

She had never seen the night sky so adorn with such a brilliant blanket of stars her entire life. Even on the clearest night from the foothills to the mountain east of the Burrows looking towards the western skies the number of stars would not come close to this sea of diamonds across the sky. The only other lights visible for miles were the dots of the cities now coming into view on the coast; Malabo itself beginning to stand out on the norther side of the island. The warm sea wind through her ears with the rushing sound of the massive ships bow cutting through the waves made it all dream like to her as she leaned over the bow as far as she could. Her time was coming soon. Would she be ready?

“Excuse me mam.”

She turned to see one of three nervous prairie dog specialists in their baggy green coveralls. They always made her nervous the way all would look in unison in different directions but never look her in the eye. Still, they were the best damn ground support team in the FMAF and that’s all that mattered. “Ziggy, spit it out… is there an issue with my baby I need to know about.”

“No, no mam, no, she’s ready to fly. It’s your load out changes…?

“Just do it guys”

“Mam… ah well, we would, well mam, Master Sargent Bogo will bust us down to pealing potatoes on an ice breaker, mam.”

“Yes mam, what Ziggy said, you know he will—”

“Zig, Iggy and come on now, you to Rhiigy, Bogo will never find out. It’s my mission, my baby and so my choice on load out. Look fellas, what am I going to do with another 1000 rounds of 7.62. That’s ten seconds, if it comes down to that what is 10 seconds going to do for me? I have Ghost Squadron to cover me. No, without the weight I can add 3 more Lacewings. Speed and invisibility is what will keep alive”

The three prairie dogs chittered in their quiet home language as they often do then Ziggy responded, “Very good mam…ah but the rockets—”

“No offensive rockets! Just markers. I am doing reconnaissance not a strike mission. Again, if it came down to it…where I’m going what help will a few of 2.75 H.E. do up against aerial defense systems.?

“Mam, I am not thinking about offensive striking,” Ziggy said quietly as he stepped to the bow rail, “I was thinking you may just need them to get though the canopy… or something.” He turned his head gaze in several direction with that quick jerking motion that always set her on edge then looked at her right in the eyes. “You need to give yourself a chance to get there and get out.”.

She watched him slink away towards his brothers before she called him to stop, “Ziggy…”

He turned back looking up over his shoulder, but not at her, just up, then down.

“Go ahead with 2 H.E.’s and 500 rounds 7.62 light. But Zig, I want those Lace wings”

The prairie dog shifted his muzzle up…then down…then he was off.

She turned to look out toward the approaching coast and sighed.

“You know, Lacewings are good but they can’t be a DragonFly.”

“We’ve been over this Reluso, I am not risking more mammals. Especially ones that did not train for or volunteer for this mission.”

The mouse jumped from the top of the sea can onto the railing then gave a nod back to the fore deck. They both turned to see the sleek shape hidden under a camouflaged canopy of tarps strapped between 20 meters tall of shipping containers, “Yep, and you expect me to believe that one—you, the only pilot trained to fly that beauty, though brilliant one from what I hear, and two—that beauty being a 150 million Zollar prototype released for this mission due to necessity, indicate that the word volunteer had anything to do with the mission brief?”

She lifted the mouse up and onto her shoulder so they could walk out of the wind, “Who then, tell me who, if not me who! I had to… mammals are dying! You know—”

“And why do you think Chief Warrant Officer Myles and I are out her flying unarmed drones into enemy territory? Do you think it’s just for the wonderful pension!" He said with as much bite as a mouse could muster.

She sat down on a large wood ammo crate next to her “Baby” and watched the prairie dog brothers work in their jittery but meticulous way, “I’m sorry Reluso. Okay, I, I’m scared.”

“You’ll git er done up just fine lassie. Anyone that can fly that thing there they must know is some kind of special and I’ve watched you for days now… training on the deck with your ah bunnyfu…”

She smiled up at the old sea salt. The giant otter with a very greying muzzle had regaled her with stories the entire trip. “Zoojitsu, but buunyfu works Captain Sikes. Thanks though.”

“Sorry ‘bout the weather lass” he stamped his pipe on the side of a crate. “Warm front is just buggerin us. Going to be clear as those eyes of yours and waxen moon ta boot. I can put all the flood light on when navigating around toward port. Blind em from seein’ you lift off but no fog like we hoped.

“Weather is not your fault Captain and I go in two hours.”

"We, we go in two hours,” Reluso spoke up. “I have a plan.”

“I’ve already told you Reluso—”

“Lieutenant Hopps,” the mouse spoke sternly as he jumped up onto a crate that was just a bit taller than the rabbit officers eye level, “let me remind you that your mission does not start until I have achieved my mission which is to make sure that you get inland safely at all cost. And those are the orders I have be given and orders I will achieve, are we clear?”

“I’m sorry Relu… I mean yes Captain Reluso.” And before she could get upset the mouse jumped back onto her shoulder by using one of her ears as a slide making her laugh. “Hate being outranked by a mammal that keeps using my ears as an amusement park… sir.”

“Oh, come on, you almost feared me for a second.”

“No way.”

“You did”

“Did not”

“Your nose was twitching.”

“Was not.”

“The plan Reluso!”

“No one respects the rank of a mouse.”

“What about Myles?”

“She least of all and she is just a CWO.”

“Never going to outrank a girl you got the hots for Reluso.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Speaking of, where is she”

“Oh, right the plan… need to ask Myles some advice first.”

The mouse took a high-powered pen light, more of a laser light that could emit different LED colors from his flight suit and pointed to a point in the sky above the massive container ship’s bridge. After a series of dashes and dots from his pen his question was answered by a similar pinpoint bright light that appeared to be floating in the sky among the stars but then suddenly it came moving down at an arc toward the bow. Soon Chief Warrant Officer Myles Moulouski entered the flood lights of the bridge as she slid down a guy wire towards the bow holding her light like a light saber; nearing the group below she swan dived the tucked and rolled into a ball as Captain Sikes bulled off his ragged denim ZooYork Yankees ball cap and caught her with a scoop and a bow.

Spike swooped his cap back on his head and vualå—Myles appeared between the otter’s ears spreading both her arms in her own bow.

“Show off.” Reluso smirked as the prairie dogs all clapped.

“Jealous of me and my big sexy otter.”

“Okay, ain’t been called that in many ports o’ call Miss, and I gots a ship to bring to port so stop teasin’ this old salt.” Spikes let her ride on his head as they all needed to head up to the ships bridge.

“So, what did you see from you nest of crows my sweet.”

“Oh, it’s my sweet now?” Myles jumped on to the rabbits opposite shoulder of the other mouse, “He forgot the anniversary of our first date. And I had something verrrry special planed…but now that bilge rat can sleep… well anywhere, he is rather small you know.”

“I heard that!” Reluso yelled, I am NOT a rat and I am certainly Not small… for my species!”

“Okay, you two, my ears, I can’t take it. You’ll both go in my hip pocket in a sweet carrot second. Now Reluso, the plan. And what’s with the laser pointers, about blinded me.”

The promise of the technological revolution making all sentient mammals equal was a false hope. Though machinery could allow a rodent for example to do heavy work, that machinery was expensive to build and maintain and the rodents would have to be trained to use it while large bulls, elephants or rhinos for example where readily available for work. At the same time Bison and water buffalo that had once made a lucrative paycheck plowing fields for multiple farmers now found themselves replaced by leased heavy farming equipment. The more socially enlightened societies tried to use technology to benefit all equally but you only could do so much. Trains, busses, building could be built with mammals’ size features in mind but most subways tend to maximize for midsize mammals only as tunneling became expensive and air travel for large mammals was very limited and costly. On the smallest size, rodents, though have probably the greatest opportunities in technology industry employment, hey where also left behind by it; safety features in small autos aside, the miniaturization of computer chips and LED screens only could go so far and as of yet the smallest simple phones could only be used by rodents as small as a large rat. Smaller rodents, and moles for example just did not have ‘mobile’ in their vocabulary when it came to personal technology such as phones and computers. There were simple phones that relied totally on cloud-based technology but the needed a reliable network which ruled out all but the most modern cities.

“….so, we use and abbreviated Morse code system that with these small laser pens can be seen even in the day time with special glasses” Reluso finished his explanation.

“Okay then… and your plan?” Lieutenant Hopps was beginning to get a little testy.

In the center of the bridge was a table display that looked like a large LCD screen laying flat. Reluso jumped onto the display activating touch sensors bringing up high definition satellite imagery of their current location showing speed, heading, wind, water depth, navigation radars, military radars, all other. Vessels both sea, and air—a treasure trove of constantly updating information.

“Your board my sweet” he gave way to CWO Moulouski.

The female mouse jumped onto the table, “Our portage is Duala here, while you were supposed to fly just off the glades and the mangroves south of Boadibo right across the delta. That was until the high-pressure system pushed all our fog out to sea. But, from my ‘nest of crows’ as my lover mouse likes to say, I can see that what I was expecting to be true is true and the unseasonably hot inland weather is causing brown outs in the city.”

“How does that help us?” the lieutenant asked?

“Well, just north of the docks here is the factory fishing docs and large barge docs, it’s all storage facilities, factories that are shut down until the rainy seas—just too shallow up through there. And so, they will not waist power on that entire corridor. As for this section of the city beyond? Well me and my DragonFly wing mate have a few tricks to play with this power substation. Should take out this entire grid.”

“So, you are saying I am going to fly right through down town?” the rabbit looked into the faces of the mammals lit by the glowing LCD screen on the dark bridge. “I love this idea… totally nuts but I love it.”

“Crazy right, it’s gonna be a blast.”

“Captain Spikes, don’t they usually send out a harbor master to take us in?”

“Nah, these guys are waitin on some dirty cargo and say just bring ur in. We be fightin a 30-fathom tide here so we have every xenon search light on the ship blinden em. They won’t see ya leave or head up river”

“What’s the cargo?”

“Load of weapons from South Animalia.”

“What?! We are taking them weapons…”

“Now trim your sails lassie. We knew about the weapons, so we changed them out for junk third rate kit that looks like it sat on the docks in a monsoon. They won’t dare open their shipping container until its long out of the city and by the time they do it’s a lose-lose deal. They be angrier than a shark that missed its meal and they be lookin at their supplier like a seal on a plate. As for us we had no idea about illegal weapons in a sealed cargo container with legal papers.” The captain shrugged.

The rabbit sighed, “Okay then,” she looked at her watch, “what you figure Captain, 45 minutes?”

The otter looked at his navigator then out towards the growing coastline. “Thirty.”

“Shit.”

“Okay Jackie, we have to go prepare the Dragonflies. Miles will contact you right after she takes off. She will be your guide. You stick to her tail.” Before lieutenant Jackie Hopps could say a response other than return Captian Relusos salute the two mice had hopped off the table and were gone.

“Look lassie, I was nineteen years old when it got real for me the first time. I was a rescue swimmer for the coastguard on my first mission off the coast of Zootopia. A cargo ship had collided with a drill rig about 20 miles off shore. By the time we got there it was a real shit show for sure. They was droppin a life boat from the rig about 30 meters up but it was too full and three fell out into rough seas. I jumped in from our frigate. I got to the first one and the side of the rig explode right next to the life boat, it just… well” the old otter had stop. “…the sea turned red with blood and I froze. I could smell the blood in the water, hell I could taste it. Body parts everywhere… and then the screams. But lassie what got me through it was I just let the trainin’ take over, did the job, the mission. No time for a panicking stupid pup, I just did the job… and I figure that whoever can fly a damned sweet machine like that down there well the people that put her on this boat knows she is gonna do the job, complete the mission.”

Jackie had tears in her eyes but a determination in her soul, “Thanks Cap, and thanks for all the stories… and the ride over.” She gave the old otter a hug before he shook her off then turned away and looked toward the sea with his binoculars.

“What are you still doing on my bridge lieutenant? Time to git your fuzzy tail off my boat and earn your keep now… bunch o’ free loaden kits anyway...”

“Aye Aye Captain” She said with a salute and a sad sort of smile. It was probably the last time she would see the old salt and he knew that too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the last of the prologue. These flash backs may be confusing for some. They are the way the story dripped out from the reaches of my mind. I am a Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn type of fan where multiple plot lines hopefully weave into something explosive? tragic? amazing? who knows at this point... their fates have yet to be written.
> 
> Criticism, constructive or or argumentative but respectful will always be taken with consideration as I am hoping to learn. Thanks so much for the comment thus far.


	4. The Mission—Dodger goes Downtown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lieutenant Hopps finally heads off on her first mission into the unknown. She soon learns that her Solo mission will soon take its first high toll as a hasty plan to get her onto her destination is put into action.
> 
> NOTE: Dialog in [brackets] from this point on will indicate radio communications rather than in person dialog or for instance over the phone.
> 
> The last 2 chapters have been edited for chronological purposes in future chapters...give me a break, I'm a rookie

**Chapter 4  
The Mission—Dodger goes Downtown**

**_Between Malabo and Port of Duala; 3 years, 6 months before present day:_ **

Jackie was now strapped into the cockpit of “Dragon ONE”; a prototype stealth reconnaissance helicopter like nothing else on the planet as far as she knew. It was built for her, or so she liked to believe; the cockpit specifically fit he like… or did she fit it… well either way they were one together. The Ziggy brothers as she had come to know them as they all were known collectively by the eldest were now tending to last minute detail; synching down her straps, checking her survival kit, hooking up her next generation IHADSS helmet system.

Rhiigy, “Just…” then he scatted off…

Iggy, “…come..” down and off to his station next…

Ziggy, “Back.” He gave her a smile and a hug then looked away, then down then at the digital display then pulled a small SSD drive out of his coveralls, “Your mission if you choose to accept it…”

“You had it all the time,” She smiled at the prairie dog, “Bogo trusted you with it of course, and why wouldn’t he?” Her gloved paw took the device and inserted it into its appropriate slot. A passcode prompt came up on her side display. Ziggy typed in the first 3 numbers then she typed in the next 7 and hit enter and with that the Navigation computer popped up. On the central display {NEW MISSION PARAMETERS > ENTER > ABORT}. She hit ‘ENTER’ {MISSION LOADING: DODGER-16 ALPHA SARRANGI PRIORITY DELTA 9…… LOADED>>>>>> GOOD LUCK DODGER}

When she looked up the Ziggy was gone. She looked around then found them standing off the nose of the Dragon in perfect attention were the three Ziggy brothers, not looking away darting this way or that, meeting her gaze perfectly with a dead steady salute, all three… damn. She looked down, then up then choking down her emotions she snapped a perfect solute at the three and held it for 5 seconds.

Rhiigy shot off on all fours to his station on her left, Iggy on her right and Zig in front as they all had their headsets on.

Iggy came up first [LaceWings Check.]

[LaceWings Check, Digital lock affirmative, 6 LaceWings?... aw thanks Ig… I’ll bring them back.]

[Ma’am, no ma’am, burn em if you need to. They are design to keep you safe… bring yourself…] the prairie dog turned away.

Rhiggy came on next [Dark Star System Check]

[Going Dark Now] She toggled the key on her cyclic. Inside the cockpit all displays duplicated in her IHADDSS visor and the screens dimmed, the cockpit glass itself turned to a dark fog grey though she could see out fairly easy. Along the containers two large rolling mirrors had been placed on either side of the Dragon as Darkstar Mode was engaged millions of Biomorphic Hexagon shaped scales on her skin became active—life like almost as they were free to move under the outer skin. This allowed the skin to refract light into millions of directions. During the day it would give you a headache to look at, but in dim or night conditions the entire thing just seem to disappear. Of course, Iggy could not really look across to see Rhiggy but he could not really see much of anything but an odd moving dark shadow that seemed to change as he shifted his head up… then down.. as prairie dogs do.

“Darkstar Active ma’am.] He gave her paws up.

She manually turned down the filter on the cockpit so they could see her again.

[10 minutes Dodger] came the voice of Captain Spikes

[Roger that] She gave paws up to Zig. He Chittered in his language to his brothers and they gave a paw up back. Then he bent his elbow and twirled his arm for turbine start and she fired her Baby up!

The twin turbines began their high pitch howl to life. Outside you could smell that high-octane kerosene smell of the avgas [Fuel systems nominal, outboard tanks both show good]

[Ma’am, you eject those tanks no matter where they are at as soon as you get within 100 klicks of the FOB.]

[Roger Iggs]

The sharp click, click, click of the transmission could be heard even within her helmet as the main rotor engaged. She brought the cyclic down and throttle to up and soon the rotor turned into a blur. Unfortunately, due to the stresses on the rotor the Darkstar Skin could not be applied but once at speed the non-reflective carbon fiber outer layer made it all but impossible to see.

Checking the foot pedals prairie dog brothers confirmed the operation of the tail thruster vents and gave their paws up.

[5 minutes, Beetle flight out] _‘Beetle flight’_ she smiled as the two DragonFly drones came up on her sensors, the question would have to wait.

[Eyes up confirmed, ah… Beetle 1 can you adjust for the floodlights] the Sensors of the DragonFlys were slaved to her ship; in the center Myles drone gave her a digital 3D map, on her left display Reluso's drone gave her a top down high-definition view of the entire area from 1000 meters and climbing. The other side display the ATAS (Advanced Threat Alert System) that was receiving digital data from both Reluso's drone and ‘Storm Cloud’, the AWACS aircraft 80 miles to the north over friendly territory flying a normal international route. No communication would be made directly to Storm Cloud unless they contacted her.

[Final Checks LT, Flight Controls] [Check]

[Sensors] [Check]

[Data links] [Check]

Finally, Ziggy came on [Pilot]…. [Pilot]…

_**Six months earlier:** _

_“I hope you are fit for duty now Hopps? And I hope you now will keep your training at this point to the gym. Can’t afford another week off for sprained hindpaws.”_

_“Ready for full duty Sergeant Major, I ah didn’t see the XD-Alpha on the flight line though sir?”_

_“That’s because you will not be flying today. You need to break in a new ground crew.”_

_“What? But Sergeant, I do not have time to get a new crew up to speed and the crew I had was trained by multiple corporate and military specialist—”_

_“Shut it Lieutenant! Those bars may show that you out rank me but you don’t. Not on this flight line. It is my job to make sure that those 1.8 trillion Zollars worth of tax payer equipment out here remain mission capable and I intend to do just that. Why… no it’s not about the damned expensive toy you have, it’s about making sure those aircraft get their final mission done and bring their pilots home. I can fix a damned busted recovered aircraft but niether I nor the FMNAF can fix a severely injured or Dead pilot. Understood?”_

_“Yes sergeant” she sunk her ears back, “but I don’t understand how they can..”_

_“Trust me Hopps… these boys are the best, they may be a bit, eccentric, but they’re the best wrench turners I have and they have done all the academics already. They have gone over your ‘Baby’ like it was their own because as of now it is. The lead Flight chief has even taken her for a check ride—”_

_“Wait What”_

_“Again, calm down, just a taxi flight down the runway. He’s good. Hell, he’s got more stick time then my top two Chief warrant officers…”_

_She saluted and turned to leave._

_“Hopps, the last thing on your checklist should always be yourself.”_

_“Sir?”_

_“You’ll figure it out.”_

And there it was, the three Ziggy brothers made her Baby perfect, every screw, every circuit, every detail of every sensor, nut, down to keeping her screens polished to perfection…it was her, it had always been about how they cared for her. She could have been flying the worst CH47 doing supply hops in the Middle East and these three would make that the best ship in the wing just to make sure it came back with the crew alive, with her. They were the best damned crew in the FMNAF.

[…Pilot]

[Check, and Ziggy… thank you, all you boys]

With that the ships horns blasted across the ocean announcing its arrival to the upcoming port. That was the go signal. She pulled back on the cyclic and the collective. Damn the extra fuel made her sluggish though to a novice you wouldn’t know as the Dragon leapt into the air. As soon as she cleared the top container she rolled to port and dove to the water shooting forward and out of the ships lights in barely a breath. The Bridge Crew looked at one another as they shrugged, “damn, I swear I only saw a shadow the like a million diamonds reflecting like stars across everywhere then, nothing… amazing…”

The captain stamped out his pipe and said “Yes, yes she was.”

[Dragon is wings outs, talons wet]

[Okay Dodger get low, get fast, right on Beetle Two’s tail, should have digital slave…now]

[Digital Slave confirmed]

[Now I get to see what you are made of Dodger, ever try catching a mouse by the tail?]

[Cut the chat Beetle Two, Dodger check sensors. Go completely passive. Small and quiet…Just pretend you are in Bogos office after your first flight test.]

[Oh, ruttin hell don’t remind me… all sensors passive, Beetle flight are my eyes and ears]

She could not believe how fast the small mouse piloted drones were. The whitecaps leading into the channel had become nothing but a blur and the upcoming coastline could not even remain in focus. She had never flown this close slaved to a DragonFly before so she was concentrating on following the digital image of the small craft in front of her. It was too small for her to see in the dark anyway.

[okay, why Beetle]

[Don’t ask]

[I like beetles]

[I told you not to ask]

[Hush you]

[She has a pet beetle, she rides the damned thing]

[[Dodger slow to 100knts, Beetle 2 cut left 65 degrees heading.]

[What’s up Beetle One]

[We have a ZSU-23 sitting in the middle of the river on a barge, a damn barge. Old but effective]

Jackie’s heart began to race. The tank with its four 23 mm autocannons had obviously not turned on its air defense radar or Storm Cloud would have seen it a long time ago but she was in range of those deadly guns and if they could lock onto her, outside of getting out of range very quickly it would rip her apart. The Armor piercing shells could even penetrate the protective armor plate that covered the small cockpit area.

[Beetle Flight-threat status]

[Got it handled Storm Cloud]

The DragonFlys like their smaller un-piloted counterparts the Lace Wings A.I. systems that allowed them to penetrate networks and other communications systems. Reluso quickly pulled up the specs of the large slow moving commercial trawler just about to pass the barge with the ZSU. It had a modern navigation system that using his A.I. and his connection to Storm Cloud’s satellite network was able to shut down their NAV TRAK and their engines while turning their bow thruster on full port thrust. Within seconds claxtons could be heard ringing onboard the trawler as it shifted sideways in the river slamming into the barge. As the barge flipped up and became unstable the 19-ton ZSU slid to one side capsizing the craft, sending the iron beast to the bottom of the river.

[The be needing a new tank]

[Beetle-dodger back on coarse-thanks my squeaks]

[Oh my… make up s…]

[Uhg…never flying with females again… Dodger in 3 klicks I will take lead, prepare for digital hand off]

[3, 2, 1 Beetle 1 has lead, Dragon is talons dry] and through the blacked-out factory district a small buzzing craft went by in a blink followed by what if anyone could see, a shadow leaving a hot dust cloud twisting into a small cyclone.

[Downtown just ahead, increase speed to.120knts take her up to 60 meters]

[Beetle 1, what about the lights?]

[Just do it]

And just before the two craft burst into the lights of downtown Duala half the city went dark.

[Good girl Beetle 2, RTB]

[Beetle 2 RTB, roger]

It now appeared an easy ride to the rail bed that would lead Jackie to the river where she could get below the radar and begin following her waypoints as programmed to the FOB. For the first time she felt herself begin to breathe.

[Beetle 2, I have mosquitoes!]

[Ruttin hell, can you evade?]

Mosquitoes where swarm drones that had a simple A.I.—find and kill other drones. Launched in swarms of 100 or more they were fast, small and maneuverable but not very smart. They had two active search and one passive search system that helped them locate a target but once one found the target, they all had the same target and vectored to it. Myles only defense was evasion. She had no flares, no chaff, not that she would have had enough of either just her skill as a pilot. [Going street level now!]

Reluso could hear the stress in her voice.

[Fuck, Beetle 2 is hit, 4°02'17.3"N 9°44'08.7"E. I, Rely…I’m sorry………………..]

[Myles!]

[Reluso, go]

[Beetle one to StormCloud we have a DragonFlyn Pilot down any SAR assets available—]

[Negative Beetle lead, No Assets available. Continue to release point then return to the Nautigal]

[Just go Reluso] Jackie told

[I have to get you to the release point first…oh gods just stay on my tail, three more klicks]

[RTB Beetle Lead]

[Negative Storm Cloud]

[Beetle go secure] Jackie switched to a secure channel

[Reluso I am releasing a LaceWing to you so you can find her—]

[No, damnit no, Hopps look at your ATAS]

Jackie looked at her threat warning system, there were search radars up all over. Apparently the loss of the barge with the ZSU and the power substation going down just shortly after had spooked someone.

[If you open a bay, just for a second, to release a LaceWing your radar profile will change enough to have a dozen radars see the difference and even though you may go off there scopes soon after they will know. So, you need to keep your profile clean, dark and small. I’ll … by the creator I’ll find her.] his voice was breaking, [ one klick]

[Releasing digital sensors now] then the DragonFly pealed up and over out of her digital map. She went to her forward looking infrared and could see the wide part of the river about 7 klicks ahead. Just 1 click more was a rail bridge and though the canopy covered most the deep river valley at this point she could probably make it.

[Reluso…]

[She’s pregnant Hopps, if it takes me forever, I’ll find her…]

That’s it, she rolled the dragon hard over and under the bridge down between the canopy, flaring the nose just before she would have hit the river covering her windscreen with water spray. She was below the radars now [LaceWing out… Digital hand off now]

[Hopps no]

[Its done…Digital Hand off?]

[Hand off locked… thanks Jackie]

[Go get your mate… Dodger going dark now] and she was gone… no signals from that point on.

The LaceWing dropped into perfect formation with Reluso’s DragonFly. At 750 thousand adjusted Zollars each the 1-meter drones were the military achievement of the age. A basic flying super computer with multiple active and passive sensors designed to find anything, sneak anywhere, and create high definition maps as they went. Two of these miniature flying computers could create a digital 3d map of Zootopia in a single day if left unhampered. What they did not have though where any offensive or defensive weapons system. Their protection was maneuverability and A.I to match. If you have ever tried to shoot a Lacewing fly with a BB gun as it darted along a pond, then you begin to understand how advanced their larger, and much smarter, drone namesakes were.

Reluso would need the LaceWing if he had any hope of finding Myles. She was smart so she would have turned off her emergency transponder and so her last coordinates were meant for him and him alone as a starting point for a very dangerous game of hide and seek—and hopefully not cat and mouse as the Kamoroon Military contained almost every species cat from Lion to Caracal.

Jackie made a hard pedal turn around a narrow curve in the river. The canopy above had opened up allowing the moonlight to sparkle across the rapids. The light being refracted off the Darkstar skin, though much of it was absorbed, the A.I. could only handle so much causing a light show of diamond like shooting stars that had no apparent source casting along the banks and trees. She had to smile as it felt they kept her company like fireflies…fire flies… ‘Iggy you didn’t…’ She pulled up he inventory list and there it was. Fireflies > Inventory= 2 ‘I’m going to give that prairie dog a big ol hug.

She got a soft chirping from her tactical display as the FLIR popped up a highlight on a fishing sampan just ahead. No threat. No radio signals. She increased throttles, pulled up on the collective and flew over it at about 30 meters.

The elderly kudu looked up as a mysterious wind suddenly spun his boat around. His grandson pointed at the trace of the wind on the river and the stars shooting along the trees. They followed the strange wind and stars as it disappeared around the next bend.

IN their language the grandfather looked out his young grandson, “The Creator has given us a sign tonight. Come on now we have to pullup these nets and head up river. We will surely be blessed.”

“Was that the Creator pappapa, that howling noise?”

“I have never spoken to him, or well he has never spoken back but yes I believe maybe that was. The moon is bright after all and a good night for song…” The two kudus now filled with hope headed up after the spirit they had just seen.

Jackie settled in now as her computer nav system was programed on plotted waypoints. As she flew down the Anafrican river she began to think about her sisters. She shook her head thinking about Judy who from the age of 9 wanted to be a cop. That would never happen as the ZPD only took large prey and predators and would laugh at the thought of a rabbit police officer.

Both her sister Jill and herself signed into the FMNAF. Jackie was only seventeen, the age of consent for her species. Jill was the oldest daughter in their family at the time and 29. Jackie made her choice not only because she wanted to fly ever since her sister’s mate took her for a ride in the helicopter he showed up in one day, but because neither of them wanted to have the obligation of being the next Matriarch of the Hopps warren like their mother. Jill had followed her soon mate into military intelligence but had come home for a while to raise their first two kits. The FMNAF or Free Mammal Nations Air Force, a branch of the United Free Mammals Combined Military accepted all species specifically for their unique traits.

Still, her sister Judy was her littermate and she missed her dearly. Once Jackie was transferred overseas for her advanced mission training she could no longer contact Judy. The last she heard she was attending college hoping to graduate with a criminal law degree.

“I hope I see you again someday sis…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not plan on updating so prolifically. I just need to get things rolling. But please comment all the same.
> 
> I also wanted to add, I realize I do not explain many things as I go but that is quite on purpose. and like life. We do not get all the answers up front. The picture of what lies before us grows with knowledge. Many things that you may ask "what is the author talking about" will come clear as you venture through this story and ride along with Hopps in her cruiser OR fly with Hopps in her helicopter...just walking in their paws


	5. Crazy Like a Fox: Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick sets off on his own mission, one of redemption and a final sense of duty to the rabbit that put all her trust in him. Along the way he struggles with the idea that there ever was a possibility that he could live a normal life as Judy's partner on the force. There has been just too much past for him to redeem. Too much for a justice serving duty bound rabbit to ever look past and those ghost could become demons that could destroy the rabbit that Nick has come to care for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter starts an arc of Nick Wilde's Journey to face his demons that will determine if he can finally change his ways and escape the life of a street hustling con-fox.
> 
> Now that the paths of both Judy and Jackie Hopps have been set in motion the story will move back and forth on the timelines until they finally clash
> 
> NOTES [brackets] indicate radio communications  
> <> indicate text message

# Crazy Like a Fox, Part 1

#    


_**8am—Zootopia General Hospital, Secure Wing:** _

“Well Miss Hopps, the wound appears to be healing exceptionally. I am still concerned about infection from bacteria that may have been on that mammoth tusk though. I would like to keep you on oral antibiotics for a week or so. The cut was very deep into the muscle tissue. You will need to spend some time in rehabilitation to build up strength in that leg before you can resume full duties.” Doctor Nujy, the elderly lynx explained as he added notes to the chart.

Judy’s concern was obvious, “How long before I can get back to work doctor… I mean back on the streets?”

“You’ll have three to four weeks of rehabilitation at least and probably light duty after that before you will be cleared for full active duty. The muscle has to knit properly and it will be weak for a while. You need to take it slow.” The doctor could see her ears droop, “My dear officer Hopps, your fox friend has regaled me with stories of your energy and enthusiasm. Give it time… you’ll be busting crime bosses as good as knew soon enough. I have been ordered by the chief to let you go back on light duty in a week as he feels he needs your intuition even if it is in the headquarters for a while.”

Judy perked up a bit at the mention of ‘her fox friend’ and that she was needed by the ZPD but she still thought she could be on her feet sooner as she tried to test her strength on her leg to prove it… before flinching in pain when she tried to push off on the injured leg.

“Trust me… I know its hard to do after an ordeal you’ve been through,” the lynx began as he helped her back to the bed. “I’ve known Julious Bogo since he was a beat cop. And don’t ever tell him I mentioned his first name. He cares deeply for the mammals under his charge. More than he will ever admit and it cost him more than you will understand … until you do. There’s also your sly fox friend of yours. But you can trust that fox.” It wasn’t a question and he said it with a smile, “funny, isn’t it… trusting that one. I don’t think he even saw that coming.”

Judy smiled at the comment, her ears perking up and her nose twitching, “Speaking of Nick, how is he this morning? I haven’t seen him. Is that lazy fox still asleep?” Judy finished her question pointing her ears at Nicks room across the hall. The blinds were closed but it was apparent that the lights were still off.

“I assume he is fine. He checked himself out during third shift—”

“Wait, what? No… he wouldn’t!” Judy tried to jump out of bed just as Chief Bogo came into her room seeing her door was open.

“Hold on Hopps! You’re not going anywhere.” The buffalo sternly ordered as he walked into her room.

“But Chief, Nick, he wouldn’t just leave without telling me…”

Chief Bogo and the doctor both had to rush forward and reach for the bunny as she stumbled when she tried to put weight on her injured leg without her crutches.

“Damn-it Hopps, get a hold of yourself. I can’t use lame cops in the field. Your fox will be back…”

Bogo lifted her back onto the bed as gingerly as he could, his small ears flattening to give away a bit of embarrassment about grasping the small female officer.

“I’m sorry Sir. I just don’t understand.” Judy hesitated before looking a bit sourly at the chief, “What… what did you make him do.” Judy crossed her arms as the paw on her good leg began thumping the bedrail unconsciously.

“Officer Hopps, you better check that attitude right now. We don’t coerce citizens into working for the ZPD. Not under my watch. This is not a police state.” The buffalo rose to his fullest most intimidating height as he pointed a hoof digit at her.

Judy suddenly found herself crushed with guilt under his words remembering how she had coerced the fox into helping her find Mr. Otterton during the missing mammals case by threatening him with imprisonment for tax evasion. Nick would tell her to leave that out of her debriefing and reports and that he would never hold that ‘hustle’ against her. Still her sense of duty now caused it to form a deep moment of regret for treating her friend that way.

_‘But he wasn’t a friend back then, was he? He was just a shifty criminal fox that had information you needed to solve your case… to save your job… who saved your life… over and over without question.’_

“I’m sorry Chief. I… I just don’t want to see him hurt.” She turned back over and laid down in her bed.

The Chief’s tone suddenly became almost fatherly, “Look, Officer Hopps, I know you have become close to that fox. Trust my advice though when I say just be careful. He has a… well, interesting past. We will see his true colors soon enough.”

Judy turned back over to look up at the Chief, “Because he’s a fox.”

The Chief put a hoof put his forehead. “I deserve that I guess, but no… not because he’s a fox. Judy, I didn’t become Chief of police of the largest diverse specie city in the world by being speciest…”

Judy gave him a narrow-eyed look.

“Yes, as a cop of over 35 plus years I admit, there things that affect your judgement sometimes no matter how hard you try to remain altruistic. I know that fox has had a rough life and has dealt with it… Well he’ll let you know or not. But Hopps, this life,” the Chief gestured to himself and Judy, “if you can convince him to choose it, will be… let’s just say, difficult for him.”

Judy, taken back by the Chief using her name and being gentle in his tone sat up, her ears laying back in contemplation. “I understand sir, thank you. He… he is still my friend and I am not out there to watch his back.”

“Officer Wolfard is with him. All I can say, accept that what your fox is doing was his decision alone.”

“I… I could have helped him…”

“Hopps, think like a cop. You can barely walk. Sergeant Wolfard is one of the most dedicated officers in the ZPD. I ordered him to protect your fox. He will carry out that order to the absolute best of his abilities. I know that wolf. Besides, I think he kind of admires the fox. Canine pack thing maybe, got me.”

Judy put a soft padded paw on the buffalo’s hoof in a silent thank you dipping her ears out and back. The Chief in all his experience of course understood the rabbit gesture and simply nodded as he stood up and left.

The lynx doctor remained outside holding a folder as the Chief stepped into the hall. “Chief Bogo, may I talk to you a moment in private before you leave.”

The Chief simply followed the doctor into the room Nick once occupied along with an elderly lioness wearing a lab coat and thick glasses and a musk deer dressed the same, spectacles as well.. The doctor began to explain handing the folder to Chief Bogo. “Chief, this is Doctor Stevensclaw, she is the head of our pathology lab. She has found, well… abnormalities in the blood make-up of both officer Hopps and Mr. Wilde that we felt you need to be made aware of.”

“Abnormalities?” the chief grunted his question as he looked at the report. He was fairly acquainted with the advanced analysis being presented to him after spending 35 plus years looking at various complicated reports from crime lab geeks and coroners. The chief pulled his reading glasses from his pocket and scanned the data again. “You are positive about this?”

“Positive Chief Bogo.” The lioness said, “I ran the result through our gas chromatography and Liquid Chromatography, both Hopps and Wilde have markers of the Night Howler agent within their blood. It is unfortunately a chemical compound that is not part of the Midnicampum Holicithias chemical make-up but also appears in the blood of all the affected savage mammals.”

“But Hopps and Wilde are not savage?” The Chief furrowed his brows at the distinguished lioness.

“No, they are not…” the doctor stated, “and that is not the only difference. From the information we have provided, thanks originally to officer Hopps, Midicamum Holicithias is a rather common flower, though not originally native to this continent. The plant was brought here by settlers almost 200 years ago from Anafrica. Well, to be factual, a variant as the variety use by many farmers have been adapted to this environment—”

“Doctor, your point?”

“Sorry… Tri-Burrows used it as a natural insecticide. It is commonly known by farmers and country folk to be a hallucinogenic drug with short term psychoactive anomalies though; normally resulting in short burst of aggressive behavior or lack of inhibitions depending on the mammal. What has made this drug weaponized is the processing—well that is the unknown at this point. We cannot explain the complete regression to a savage state with total lack of cognitive perception without the ability to return to a normal non-primal emotional state. We believe this unknown compound is the key. It appears to affect the reasoning centers of the brain on cellular level. The difference between officer Hopps, Mr Wilde and the other mammals: one, they have no traces of the complete Night Howler processed flower compound and the way in which the compound has affect them is quite different…”

The Chief’s eyes now grew to great concern as he tried not to glance at Judy’s room and instead shut the blinds to the room they were in completely then found a stool to sit down on with a grown that sounded more like an angry flare from his nostrils. “Sorry doc… go on..”

“As I was stating this unknown compound as you can see by the test results and the CAT-scans, and MRI’s are normal as compared to the savage mammals. What is more troublesome though is we found molecular traces of weaponized compound but not the complete compound within their entire endocrine system,” the lioness could see the growing frustration on the Chief’s face about what the conclusion of all this meant so she decided to cut to the chase, “Look Chief, I could bore you with details about genetics but the truth is we just don’t have the resources here to understand what, if anything, is happening to Hopps and Wilde at this point, or how parts of the compound got into their system” she quickly held up a paw to stop the chief from a stern interruption, “so we sent fur, blood, and even some tissue samples from officer Hopps’ wound over to Kovak Industries under “Classified Priority — Chief of ZPD”

The chief crossed his hooves and nodded his approval.

Doctor Hooflsonvich, a geneticist, and a very distinctive looking musk deer with his lab coat, under wire specs, a bit of grey around his muzzle and those tusk kept perfectly white, coughed to intervene, “Sir… sorry, but,…”

“Spit it out doctor, no theories are wrong at this point.” Bogo ordered the deer.

“Chief, it’s only a guess, and maybe a long shot. But what if the fox is in on it and has administered some form of antidote to himself and Hopps for his own purposes?”

“Doctor, that’s out of line… there is no evidence of that at this point.

“Enough!” the chief broke in harshly, “we have to look at all possibilities until we have clear evidence of what is going on. Until then I want this kept between us. Hopps and Wilde do not need to know what test you are doing, understood. In Hopps’ or Wilde’s testimony of the events leading up to Bellwether’s arrest, neither mention actually being infected with the Night Howler toxin, so doctors, what are you telling that I am missing.” The chief turned away without waiting for a response, “McHorn!... find out the status of Wolfard and Chompsy!”

“…Chief, we honestly don’t know where these abnormalities in their blood have come from or how they came into contact with it… maybe by accident from the destroyed lab? We just don’t have enough of the drug or knowledge of how it was made to know; but no, we do not feel that Hopps or Wilde are currently infected with the exact same toxin that has made the other mammals go savage.

The rabbit listening intently in the next room with her emotions now at a fever pitch also did not understand what the remnants of the Nighthowler agent in her body was doing to her either, she didn’t care at the moment, not while her fox had left her on some crazy crusade. It had and was affecting her though. The doctor treating her wounds had mentioned more than once that he was pleasantly amazed at how such a deep muscle wound was already healing but chalked it up to her fitness level. There was more though, Judy’s senses: sight, smell, and especially hearing had been tuned to hyper sensitive. She had not perceived these changes consciously though and if the medical team treating her had they would not have openly discussed her case just one room over as the grey doe’s ears focused in onto their conversation like a parabolic microphone.

As soon as the Chief and the doctors left the hospital wing Judy hopped out of bed and limped down to the nurse’s station keeping out of sight. She was the only patient in the secure wing so the nurse on duty had left through the double doors into the next wing to check the savage mammals they were caring for and hoping to cure, taking her portable call-monitor with her that connected her to Judy’s call button. The two large tiger patrol officers guarding the doors gave her a smile and turned toward the SMC recovery wing.

Judy, keeping her ears low, hopped onto one of the stools at the nurse’s station and using a hardline phone there called a number she knew from memory, “Benny… yes… yes Benny I am doing good, Benny hush I need a very special favor and I need it now. …yes, now and tell no one… well, I need some clothes from my locker and an unlocked portable radio with a headset. …Benny, it’s an emergency, trust me… Okay thanks.”

She hung up the phone and limped back to her room. By the time she managed to get herself back in her bed though, the pain in her leg was so severe, she knew she had pushed herself too far sneaking down the hall without her crutches and clung to her pillow with tears from both her pain and worry at the thought of her friend going off on some fool hardy plan without her.

  


**_11am—Meadowland District:_ **

Finnick’s van, with its risqué mural of a sexy clad she-wolf in the arms of a muscular warrior alpha male in barbarian battle dress, backfiring loud booms from its smoky exhaust, was enough to turn heads un any part of Zootopia; in the almost total prey district of the Meadowlands, as the small fox shouted obscenities at passing sheep, goats, horse, bovines and other heard mammal species, it was practically suicidal—or so it would seem. The small street wise fox believed in his long-tested wisdom of hiding in plain sight by begin obnoxious as possible—or the “typical pred” as most mammals in this part of Zootopia would spit; living up to their speciest expectations and therefore being officially unsuspicious.

“Damnit Fin,” Nick yelled over the “Wolf’s Bane” acid rock music blaring from the fennec’s van speakers, “You should have borrowed another ride. You’re going to get us killed in this district.”

“Borrowed?” Fin laughed through his teeth as he smirked at Nick behind his mirrored glasses, “Don’t you mean steel another ride. What’s wrong with you Wilde? You lose’n your nerves or somethin’? Ha, borrowed!”

Fin’s van looked and sounded like a piece of junk from the outside, but like most things about the small street fox, it was just a con. Underneath the fading paint and the random backfires was one of the best getaway vehicles in Zootopia and Fin’s pride and joy. It had a heavy-duty race-tuned suspension, run-flat tires and with the flip of a lever the engine turbos kicked in, adding another 200 h.p. to the 500 h.p. V8 engine. The frame was re-enforced and the front end was armor plate behind the grille—just in case he had to drive through a wall or barrier.

“Okay, but do you have to curse at every ram and bull that crosses the street in front of you?” Nick demanded as he shrunk lower into the passenger seat. “I’m trying not to be noticed you know!”

This part of the meadowlands was not unfamiliar to the two foxes and Finnick’s van was not an uncommon sight to the mammals, though not welcomed, here either. They had pulled a few jobs, or “errands” for Mister Big, the Tundra Town crime Lord, that took them through the warehouse districts of the Meadowlands. This had been back when Nick was still on the villainous artic shrew’s good side though and Nick had not worked for the mob boss since his falling out with “The Family” well over a year ago.

“Look Wilde, as soon as you give up what’s this all about and where you been for the last few days I’ll shut my muzzle.” Fin said as he came to a stop at a busy cross street.

Just as a sultry dressed black-wool ewe crossed the street in front of them swaying her hips in her figure hugging skirt, the short fox yelled his paw on the van’s horn causing the female to drop her phone so she would have to bend over to chase the device skipping across the pavement.

“Hey, babe, ever try a pred?” Fin yelled out his window getting and expected obscene gesture back from the ewe struggling to regain her composure and a lot of very hateful stares from passersby on the sidewalks.

“Oh, go get sheered… again!” yelled Finnick as he notices the ewe’s mid-section had been sheered to show her slender waist. “Hmmm… not bad for a grass eater.” Fin commented raising his glasses just a bit.

“Okay, okay, I’ll talk, you idiot. You’ll get us both skinned alive.” Nick whined as he glanced in his mirror at the ewe pointing their van out to other sheep, including some rather large rams, on the sidewalk—one, though disinterested, in MZPD uniform.

The two foxes looked at one another for a short pause then both burst out laughing as Fin smoked the tires through the intersection leaving the sheep coughing in a cloud of burnt rubber and high-octane exhaust fumes. They laughed some more until the fennec stopped suddenly, taking off his glasses and giving the much larger red fox such a stern gaze that Nick had to turn away with his ears pinned down. Fin looked in his side rearview mirror then gunned the van into a hard-left turn in front of a slow moving city bus. He sped down a narrow alleyway so fast the brick buildings that almost scraped the sides of the van looked like a blur of brown and grey. With another hard turn down a wider alley this time he came to a skidding stop a hundred yards down in an area that appeared to be the backs of several major industrial or retail centers with loading docks and large trucking doors.

“Damnit Chomps, we’ve lost them.”

[Air 5, do you have any sign of that van!]

[Sorry sergeant, the alleys between the buildings in those blocks of warehouses are too narrow for us to get a visual but they have not appeared on the roads out, unless we missed them. Too hot to get an IR signature in any of the warehouses and too many locations, besides. We’ll keep searching the perimeter but they must be in one of those loading docks a couple of blocks back.]

[Roger Air 5, we will have to double back.]

“Shit, shit, shit…”

“Language boss!” The older wolf officer chuckled at his normally professional, younger but higher ranked partner. “We’ll find the fox.”

“I trusted that son of a…”

[Central to Alpha 5-1, Chief wants you to call on his secure.]

“Shit, shit, shit..” [5-1, negative – cannot compromise cover.]

“Think the Chief will by that boss?”

The young wolf gave out a bit of a whine, “Not for a second Chomps, not for a second. Let’s find that double crossing fox!” With that, the SUV squealed its tires in reverse as it made a quick turnaround in a small loading bay in the alley they were in and headed back the way they came.

Suddenly Wolfard’s phone received a secure text from the Chief’s line… It had to be serious then…

<<P1 Actual>> Hopps/Wilde possibly infected with NH toxin. Possible dif variant. Extreme caution. FIND THE RAM!

“Shit, shit, shit…”

“Boss, your mother finds out about your language, she’ll have your ears pinned for a month.”

Wolfard showed the his phone screen to Chompsy, who glanced then yelled, “Fuck!” as he took out a stack of trash cans. “Shits for real, shit, shit, shit!”

Fin lowered his glasses down his muzzle just a bit as he looked over the lenses into the sided review mirror at the quiet dark alley filled with nothing more than trash cans. He shut the vans engine down then reached over and turned off the stereo. “Okay Wilde, spill it.”

“It’s just a drop off and pick up run for Big, that’s all.” Nick kept his hustler mask on though his confidence in his voice trailed off, “Just a job Fin, something I, I just need to do.”

“Right… a job, for Big. Shit Wilde, we haven’t done a job around this sheephole in months and ain’t know way you workin’ for Big again, not by your own choosin’ anyway.”

“Look Fin, I can’t give you the detail’s. It’s just something I gotta do.”

“Bull-scat Wilde. Not doin’n a damn thing. We not movin’ anywhere until you come clean. The fennec growled.

“I… I can’t Fin.” Nick’s tail sagged to the van’s floor as his ears pleaded with the small fox, “ I have to meet someone. Just trust me…”

The Fennec regarded his partner for a while as the red fox’s slick demeanor had fallen apart. He had become desperate but rarely had Nick ever shown desperation even under the most extreme conditions. Nick removed his own mirrored glasses, he turned his tired, worried eyes toward the fennec, “I’ve run out of options Fin.”

Then Nick held up a paw as his phone chimed. He looked down at the screen and grimaced then showed the image to Fin.

“Damn Wilde, you buy some scrap heap without checkin' it out first?”

“No Fin, that use to be Officer Hopps’ fathers’ truck. We left it in the alley by the old Banyon Street Station.” The once old but very running farm truck was a body with no hood, no tires, no fenders, no motor and Nick could only guess what they had done to the interior; as the wreck of a truck sat on a flatbed tow truck of ‘Teddy Bear Auto Recovery and Repair’ Nick hit the number on the message app.

“Hey Teddy… Ah huh…ah huh…yes the logo on the side is the Hopps as in Officer Judy Hopps that found the missing mammals. No…. I don’t? Yes… actually I have seen them Teddy now that you have asked and yes Bear’s brother is okay… yes he is still savage but safe… I wouldn’t lie Teddy. Teddy… Teddy, shut up and listen…. Look you do the work on Big’s limos so you can check it out but Hopps is well kind of part of the ‘Family’ now… yes I know she is a cop… Well She saved Fruella Big from being killed and is now officially Godmother to Big’s soon to be born grandkits. Yep….yep…. so yes you would be doing the ‘Family’ a favor in a way. Look Teddy, this is important, I need this running in 2 days…. Okay, Okay, look do what you can…you can get into my stash and use whatever you need. I trust you Teddy.”

Teddy Bear Auto Recovery like all of the Big’s associated business were connected to Little Rodentia in one way or another. Teddy was a Dark Kangaroo Mouse and Bear was a Large Black Bear named ‘Bear’. Bear’s father was a fan of George Boarman the championship Boar boxer that named all his sons George. Together they had one of the best all-around auto services—and chop shops— in Zootopia.

“So, now you burnin’ favors to have Teddy drop everythin’ and fix the bunny cops ride?”

“It’s not like that Fin, she almost died, she saved my life… more than once. I can at least get her family's truck fixed.”

The fennec fox looked sideways at his taller partner, “Nicholas, what are you runnin’ from? I know you are in trouble and fox, you know trouble your involved in, always finds you if you run from it.” Fin had not used that name for what must have been ten years. His words word filled with absolute brotherly love and concern and Nick just shook his head, _‘What was becoming of him, first this rabbit and now Fin—they were tearing down his defenses and he had to find a way to stop it all… or could he, should he?’_ “I have to get out of Zootopia without being seen… I need your help!”

Fin put his glasses back on and started the van as he looked in the mirror to check the alley again. “Yeah, I figured it was saving your lousy tail again Wilde.” Fin hit his horn twice and smoked the tires spinning the van 90 degrees so it faced a delivery door in the tall red brick warehouse across the alley from them. The large metal door rolled up with the clanking of motorized gears and heavy chain just enough to clear the van. Fin pulled into the blackness of the garage without turning on his lights and came to a quick stop. Nick looked back to see the outside light disappear as the metal door rolled shut, drowning out the sounds of the outside city. Fin shut down the van just in time to hear the roar of a powerful SUV drive by the alley then fade away as Fin grinned a toothy smile lit up by his dashboard lights.

Nick’s night vision was trying to adjust to the complete blackness when right in front of them headlights came on and heavy car doors could be heard opening. Nick rush to put his glasses back on as two large bear silhouettes moved in front of the headlights, white fur shimmering on the edges of the dark figures, _‘Polar bears!_ — _Mr. Big!’_

“Fin, what the hell? What’s going on here buddy?” Nick spat the word ‘buddy’ almost with a tone of anger but then his confidence shook some more—was there truly no one he could trust in this city after all? The betrayal in Nick’s face was obvious as his ears just went lifeless and his shoulders and tail sank in surrender.

“It, It had to be done this way.” The fennec said regretfully. “Big, needs to be sure of your intentions and your loyalty to the family Nicky.”

“You… you are still working for Big?” Nick said with hurt and confusion filling his eyes. Still, somehow, in the back of his con-mammal mind it all just fit. He should have known. The fennec was the one to introduce him to Mr. Big in the first place and though he never saw him with any of Mr Big’s associates, the small fox was always one step ahead of the law and never seemed to have a problem moving in and out of Big’s controlled establishments, especially the seedier night clubs Finnick like to visit from time to time. Although, unlike the polar bears and other well-connected mammals to the Big crime family, that lived rather well off, Finnick preferred to live on the streets in his van—though there was always a convenient empty warehouse garage that had supplies for repairs or a stash of food or just a place to hide from the fuzz when the two foxes needed it.

Nick lowered his muzzle, “You don’t need to answer… of course you work for him. I am truly a dumb fox.”

“Nicholas…”

“You should have told me…”

“Nicholas,” Fins voice was soft as the gruff voice fox could make it, “I could not tell ya, I, I had to protect ya from all of that.” Fin just waved a paw at the well-armed bears standing in front of the limo’s lights, “Nicky, listen to me, you’ve been searching for something within yourself since I found your tail after that damn vixen stole you away to gods knows where and then you ended up on that desert road almost dead. Since then it’s been pretty good for us I guess but Nicky my boy, you just ain’t cut out for this life.” There were tears in the elder fox’s eyes as he looked up at his taller partner, “Your better than all of this… damn, just go talk to Big. I’ll be right here for ya Wilde, I ain’t going nowhere.”

Nick had never seen the fennec tear up and that in itself scared him more than the ominous Crime Boss that awaited him in the car before them. It was as if the fennec knew this was goodbye—but what kind of goodbye. Nick opened the door to the van and stepped down next to Koslov, Mr Big’s right paw polar bear. Koslov simply motioned to the limo and Nick nodded. As he looked back at Fin, he noticed the small, but ever so tough fox had his wet furrowed eyes looking away and his large ears pinned back like a lost kit. Nick stepped to the side of the limo past Sergi, Mr Big’s Limo driver, giving him a two fingers salute, but the large bear glared back condemningly causing Nicks tail and ears to go flat. Kozlov opened the door causing a small warm light to give just a hint of illumination to the inside of the darkened limo. Nick could feel the frigid airconditioned air poor out into the humid darkness of the warehouse.

Before Nick could step inside the limo Fin sat up on his window ledge and growled out as loud as he could “I will be here for you Wilde, trust me! You don’t lay a paw on my partner Antoine! You hear me! If you harm him I will have you as a lunch snack shrew!”

The two bears with weapons showed their fangs with icy growls and began to move toward the fennec when the words of the shrew from inside the limo stopped them, “Leave him!” and the bears stopped in their tracks as if nothing had happened. The limo door shut behind Nick as he sat down on the plush rear seat turning everything completely dark… not enough light for Nick’s night vision to even see his own paw in front of his face. The shrew began to quietly laugh, starting from a chuckle and working up to a bold hissing bellow before he finished with a sigh, “Aw… that Fin, You know my son, I believe he is telling no lie. That’s why I love him so… his loyalty to his friends over his own life as foolish as it is. Ah, he’s going to miss you my boy.” With that the limo door locked with all the finality of a death row gas chamber leaving silence… not a sound except for the pounding of Nick’s heart between his own ears and the hopeless desire to hear Judy’s voice one more time aching in his chest.

“So, he does work for you.” Nick said with a sad looking up to where the voice was coming from. There was enough light coming from the limos front windshield for Nick to make out the silhouette of the small shrew sitting in a padded chair about his eye level on what must be the console between the passenger and driver compartments.

The shrew gave out a hearty laugh, “That scurvy fox? Ha, that one works for no mammal. No, my son he is a true friend. He saved my family’s life when I was a younger mammal and Zootopia was…” the shrew got quiet, “a much more dangerous place. There were power struggles and my grandfather was killed. My father was the head of the family but he also was gravely wounded by… well you don’t need to know such things. It is enough to say that Finnick found my sister and I carrying our dying father just in time to save our lives and take us to safety. He then went back into the carnage and found Grandmama.” Mr Big turned his head to look at Fin sitting in his van. “Although he has become a dear member of the family you, my boy, are the only mammal I have seen that has touched his soul like a brother.”

So Finnick has never crossed the line for you? He has never done things considered less than legal?

“Ah Nick, legal, illegal, such messy words and all based on perception That desert fox has spent most of his life living on the edge of a knife. He has seen the worst this city has to offer and he will say they are not the ones he has shared a drink or two with around a trashcan fire under a bridge.” The shrew pointed at Nick, “You, your heart has changed him as much as that bunny has changed you.” The shrew smiled at Nick’s expression, “Yes, I was a young mammal too once my boy and I see how you and the bunny watch one another, look directly into one another’s eyes, unusual for a predator and a prey, especially a fox and a bunny, even if they are ‘just’ friends.”

“Ah… as for Fin and I, stories for another time that he must share with you.” The shrew had wiped his eyes with his handkerchief and neatly folded it back into his suit pocket. “Nicholas… why are you running away?” the shrew’s question cut through the silence and the darkness like a slashing claw. “Why have you not come to me?” Just then a small row of LED lights tuned on above them illuminating the center console where Mr. Big sat in a custom chair facing Nick. The shrew, barely the size of Nick’s paw, sat eye to eye with him looking every bit the dominating figure that controlled the largest crime family in Zootopia. Nick never found out how such a small mammal commanded the obedience of polar bears a thousand times his weight and strength. Possibly Finnick knew, but it is a secret the desert fox never shared. The shrew moved his small jeweled paw forward and Nick nervously got off his seat so he could kiss the Don’s ring then respectfully sat back down. “Nicky, you did not answer my question.”

“I, I hurt someone…”

“Just stop Nicky. I know the truth and the dis-information going out over the ZPD’s network. It is too outlandish for you to play out… we both know it.”

“I, I don’t know what you think you know? ‘ _Of course he knows. He has eyes and ears in the ZPD, but how deep,’_ Nick thought nervously as he turned his gaze away from the Don.

“Nick, look at me now.”

Nick, though not sure now if he was terrified of the little shrew or ashamed to face him, turned to meet Mr. Big’s eyes as if his father had commanded him with a gentle but stern tone.

“Nicholas, If you would have gone savage and killed that young rabbit officer, your fate would have already been sealed by Koslov’s himself—and it would have been severe and painful before it was over. Do you not believe that to be so as we sit here now.”

_‘The shrew spoke truth. Judy was now the Godmother to Mr. Big’s granddaughter and no matter how it would have happened, Nighthowlers or not, if anyone had harmed Judy, even a former friend, they would not live to see the next day. Mr Big did know the truth of the ZPD’s deception. But did he know all of it or why.’_

“I need to help her one more time. This is the only way… and, and then, when it’s over, I’ll leave Zootopia.”

“This scheme of the ZPD’s…” the shrew stood up from his chair and walked to the end of the console almost to Nick’s muzzle, “is it worth such a desperate ploy?”

“The mammals that have gone savage, Mr Manches, Mr Ottertan, and all the others… they, they don’t know how to cure them.” Nick whined, his ears pinning down sadly.

“And you want to find the terrorist Doug Ramsey.” The shrew stated flatly, “And you have a lead but you need to convince the mammals helping him that the ZPD are after the ‘savage fox’ for killing their celebrity cop, Judy Hopps… is that about right.”

Nick simply nodded as he himself could not to say such a lie out loud. He had agreed to the idea, and in fact had come up with the plan, but shuddered when he thought about how close it came to being a reality… how close he almost was the tool for Bellwether to murder Judy Hopps. He relived that possibility as a nightmare every night since that morning—waking just as he heard Judy’s death scream when he tore her throat out; shaking with his paws over his ears for the rest of the night, trying to forget the sound and trying without success to forget the smell of the bunny that he had held in his jaws and forget so much more… oh god no… the taste of her flesh and her blood as his canines barely broke her skin. The smell of her fear was real as was her scream. For a moment, though Judy would never admit it then, the rabbit did not know if the fox would, with just a fraction more pressure, finish his bite. And that moment of real fear from her, haunted Nick’s consciousness and everything that was between them even now.

Mr. Big, seeing the anguish the young fox was going through had to speak, “Nicholas, my boy, listen to me… I know you well do I not? You are not or never have been a vicious mammal. You have never done a task for me that would hurt another and you would go out of your way to help the down cast and helpless mammals that our city has forgotten. Did you think I would not see these things you do with your money?” the shrew smiled, “You always liked to tell me the story of Robbin Hood, the one your father use to tell you as a kit, remember.”

That brought Nick away from the haunting memories of Judy’s scream.

“Yes, yes he did… it was my favorite story.”

“And when you first came to us, it is who you wanted to be… a mammal that helped those that the wealthy and the greedy refused to see. Nicholas, you can be any kind of fox you want to be and what the world wants to see matters not in the end.” Then the shrew reached up and put his small paws on Nick’s muzzle, “And who you are to the world matters not to Judy. She’s the one you are doing this for, am I right my boy?”

Nick’s ears went up at Judy’s name but he did not say a word.

“Yes, she means much to you. She is something special, that one.”

“She trusted me.” Nick said softly. “She didn’t see me as a shifty no good fox…”

“We are all imperfect mammals, all of us filled with regrets, all filled with hopes and all filled with the ability to do good or evil. You choose the path Nicholas. It matters not what the world thinks of you, you must make the choice.” The shrew patted the foxes nose then went back to his chair. “I do not know where this Doug Ramsey is. I have used all my resources to no avail. But I will help you. I know where you are going and so I will send a message that you are going there on my behalf and with my blessing. It is all I can do.”

Nick suddenly realized that he was not going to meet his end. Still he was unsure at what cost for his life would the shrew demand. Maybe, somehow, he would get to see Judy one more time before he left.

As if the shrew looking into his eyes could read his thoughts he spoke, “I still am wondering though,” the shrew inquired, “why are you planning on leaving Zootopia? Tell me my wayward son.” The shrew motioned for the fox to come close. Nick obliged knowing the purpose for his request. Nick lowered his muzzle to the console in front of Mr. Big’s chair. The arctic shrew stepped up onto his chair then onto nicks nose and up Nick’s muzzle so he could look deep into Nick’s eyes. There was no way to turn away and no way to give the shrew, the head of the largest crime family in Zootopia, anything but the truth.

“They…. she wants me to be a cop, be her partner. They know all about me. I can’t be with her. I can’t betray you… I can’t…”

“Nicholas, why did you not tell me you had come to my house with Judith Laverne Hopps…”

“I was brought to your house sir and she told you she was Officer Judy Ho…” Nick stopped talking as the Don gave him a snarl for interrupting his words.

“As I was saying, Judith LAVERNE Hopps — Granddaughter of the matriarch of the Tri-burrows Hopps Family—Maurine Laverne Hopps.” It was no longer a question but a statement of fact said in a way to show both the shrew’s anger and fear about almost having iced this specific rabbit. “Do you not know how common the sir name of ‘HOPS’ is in the lagomorph specie throughout the Zootopia counties?” The shrew put a small paw to his forehead, “and they spell HOPS a dozen different ways… but Judith Lavern Hopps in my house… and a cop of all things. I would never have believed Maurine would have allowed a granddaughter of hers to become anything other than a farmer’s wife.”

Nick just looked confused, “Judy never said… I did not know Mr Big. She does not ever use her middle name. Why is it so important…”

“It does not matter. Put it behind you.” Mr Big growled waving a paw for Nick to sit back and calm down. “…It’s just business, business that you no longer need to be involved in.” The shrew took a long breath and sat back down. “It has all worked out for the better. You both came to me and with my help you stopped that awful ewe. Now you want to find Doug and once you do you will accept Chief Bogo’s offer and join the ZPD.”

“But, I, I can’t sir, even if you allow me too, which I do not understand, others will come after me and may hurt Judy to get to me… and… she’s a bunny… and I’m a fox…”

“She’s a bunny? That’s what your real hesitation is all about? Nicky, listen, we have little time to deal with such petty fear. You and that rabbit saved the city from an evil fate. Yet these are still dangerous and troubled times.”

“Yes, yes, mammals have been hurt…” Nick looked accusingly at the shrew and then away.

“Oh come now Nicholas, I would not have iced you and that bunny, well not let you drown in that frozen pit. Images have to be maintained. Fear is a great motivator and sometimes the fear of losing one’s life is enough to bring them to an understanding.” The shrew reasoned.

“Fear… that is what Bellwether said. She would control the city with fear.” Nick said quietly.

The shrew spoke softly in an apologetic way, “I understand… my methods may be harsh to some. But I do what I do to protect the family. Your heart has always been gentle, even in conflict. Anger is not your way. You often run from pain rather than face it my son.” The shrew said disapprovingly then moved towards Nick again, “If you leave who would protect the rabbit then?”

Nick had to reason in his mind, but he had no answer. He only feared retribution against Judy from those that knew the former hustler.

“I have already put out the word that the bunny is never to be harmed or her fox partner. If they do, the one who does it will be hunted down along with their family.” The shrew pressed a button on the console signaling his driver. “Of course, I never said those exact words, but the ones who the message is meant for will understand that my protection is over a certain pair of mammals. Now you need to trust that if you betray our loyalty from this point I cannot protect you. Still, Miss Hopps is pure of heart and ambitious to a fault. Her devotion to justice under the law may cause her to betray my family unknowingly or out of loyalty to her oath.” The Don’s eyes grew serious as he bared his teeth, “I will always protect my family Nicholas—it is my curse to bear the burden of that responsibility. God mother to my grandchild or not, if Officer Hopps…” the Don’s eye’s betrayed some resolve in his implacability, “if Miss Hopps involves herself against my family that would be her unfortunate end.”

Nick new the shrew’s family was much more than blood, It was a devotion and responsibility as God Father to protect all the mammals under his trust from his polar bear body guards to the continuation of Little Rodentia as a sanctuary for the smallest of Zootopia’s citizens. Nick shuddered at the thought of Judy exposing a criminal enterprise run by the shrew only to never be seen again shortly thereafter like many who had opposed Mr. Big in any way.

“I, I do not know, I need to think sir, but I would never betray you… and I… I can talk to Judy. I will talk to her once I find a place. I’ll make her understand.” Nick did not need to promised. If you spoke it to the Don then it was your word and the whole “Honor among thieves” did not come close to the code within “The Family” Nick had looked away to regain some hidden resolve as did what few, even in the family would do, looked straight into Mr Big’s eyes with no sign of fear or capitulation, “But you also know me enough that this fox cannot become a spy for you. I could not do that to Judy or those she trusts.”

“I am an honorable mammal Nicholas, I do not want you to spy on Judy or her fellow officers. I want you to protect her… to protect her with your life if that is what it takes, for that is what I have just given back to you. Do we have an understanding?” The shrew stated with a fatherly stern tone. “I cannot demand this of you. You must make your own choice in this my son. A mammal working under a master’s paw will never have his heart in his duties. I know how your life has been spent and I know how you fear this change and what it may cost to choose a new path into such an exposed journey. I have felt that fear my son.”

Nick finally understood the cost the shrew was now demanding and in that moment it was a cost he was not sure he could accept… in truth—not sure he would not fail her… “Yes sir. I understand sir.”

“Good.” The shrew pressed a button on the intercom built into his chair, “Sergi, did you get the van loaded?”

“Yes Mr. Big, as requested.” The divider window opened from the drivers compartment as a large paw reached through with a package, “Here are the papers you requested as well. No problems with the previous owner sir.” The polar bear said handing a yellow envelope through the compartment window.” Mr. Big gestured for Nick to take the envelope from the bear.

“You can look at that after you are finished with your task. Kozlov, Show Nicholas back to Finnick’s van. Nick, do this for me… for her… and all is forgiven and forgotten.” As the shrew finished, Kozlov jerked Nick out of the limo by the scruff of his shirt. Before Nick could respond the bear shut the door behind him. Then the largest of Mr. Big’s polar bears carried Nick by his collar back to the van and all but threw him into the passenger seat through the side window.

“This meeting never happened Wilde.” Then the bear smiled at the small red fox, “You, should be expected at the warehouse with Mr. Big’s request; beyond that, we cannot help you, old friend. Consider what is in the envelope as a gift for your future… for a

ll that you have done for the family in the past. It will not make up for what you have lost but you have gained more than most.. find a life little one. As you are not a cop yet it should all be legal. But wait until after you catch that rutting ram. You’ll understand later. Good luck fox.”

As Nick looked down at the sealed envelope in his paws, he felt the first sense of appreciation and respect since he had made up with Judy, “Thanks, Koz, I knew you cared… hey where’d he go. Damn, for a bear he sure is quiet.

The stereo in the van was still playing though at a moderate level. The small canines snoring was easily drowning out the classic rock station coming over the van’s speakers. The fennec laid back on his seat with his muzzle on his chest, his hind paws stretched out to one side up on the vans center console and his long ears laying haphazardly to either side of his crossed arms.

“Can’t believe you just took a nap when you didn’t even know if they were going to make me into a throw rug… Fin WAKE UP you lazy flee bag of a fox!” Nick chastised his partner as he shook the small fox out of his hard sleep.

“What, what the hell Red!” The fennec sat up swinging his paws as Nick jumped back away from Fin’s reach. “Oh… your still alive. Well shit Wilde, I don’t have to mess up any polar bears today.”

With that the fennec started the van and as he turned on his headlights, Mr. Big’s limousine was nowhere to be scene. As if on cue, the loading dock door came to life behind them, allowing the van to back out into the warm Meadowland’s morning sun.

“So Wilde, the scuttle about you eating the bunny cop for lunch is all a load of scat. But I think you’ll like a taste of that tail though.”

“Shut the rut up Fin!” Nick scowled with anger. “Don’t talk about her like that again. Do you understand fox.”

Fin looked sideways at the taller canine. Nick had never used such a hateful tone toward the gruff little fox no matter what kind of foul jokes he had come up with. This had hit his friend in a very painful way. “Sorry Nicky, you know I never meant anything by it… so what’s going on with the cover story from the fuzz then.”

“I… just let’s go, okay.”

“Fine Wilde, but this has been about that rabbit from the start. You’ve been moping around like a lost kit since she quit the force and left Zootopia. Then she comes back looking for you and the entire city turns upside down. You go missing for days and now there are ZPD in tactical gear busting heads all over the city. So Wilde, care to fill me in what I am missing before we drive into whatever scat-storm you pulled me into?” Finnick asked while flooring the van back down the alleys they had come from.

“I almost killed her Fin…oh god, if anything had gone wrong, one of a dozen things maybe, I would have been a savage predator and really tore her apart with my…” Nick now had his shaking paws covering his eyes, “I can still smell her fear, even her blood from a bad leg wound she had. I, I can’t stop thinking about it.”

The radio went silent. Fin’s sunglasses came off. “The hornhead’s scrapyard is just a bit past the shipyards ahead. We have time to let your cop friends find us again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The gondola scene in the movie may have explained the tipping of the scales for Nick's life into the "dark side" but the emotional journey out after a life that included working for a notorious crime boss and living life as a con-mammal needed to be fleshed out. And that journey would be difficult, painful and costly... but would it be worth it in the end. I believe that journey is a story in itself.


	6. Crazy Like a Fox: Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick has a plan to find the chemist Doug Ramses but first he must face some bitter truths and Mr. Big. The crime lord makes a request that the young fox may not have the heart to fulfill. He has one last duty to accomplish for the rabbit that has saved him from the streets and then he will truly become a fox on the run—on the run from the ZPD, his past, the Tundra town mob, and mostly the eyes of the rabbit he just cannot face to show the truth of who he really is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes reminder:  
> [brackets] = radio communications  
> <> = texting
> 
> I am posting this using my phones hotspot. Hope all goes well.
> 
> This is the continuation of the ARC of Nick Wilde's journey of self discovery and transition from shifty no good fox to maybe something more... if he can escape his past.
> 
> I want to address a legitimate comment that was made. I realize that the introduction of Jackie Hopps was cryptic at best. That was quite on purpose. Her entrance int the story and her mission is a mystery at this point and it will become more apparent as more is revealed.

**Chapter 6**

# Crazy Like a Fox, Part 2

_**Noon—Zootopia General Hospital, Secure Wing:** _

Judy had realized that she was not going to get far with her leg as it was. Still, as a farm girl from an extended family of a few hundred in her warren, you learned to deal with injuries and how to rehabilitate from those injuries. Judy had taken several wraps of gauze and wrapped her entire upper thigh down to her knee very tight—not so much as to restrict blood flow or to completely inhibit her movement but more than enough to hold the stitches and muscle tissue in place. Before she could finish, she heard a soft knock at the door. _‘Cheese on a stick, I did not even here pawsteps.’_ “Who is it?”

“Gazelle’s number one fan.”

“Come in Benny, and hurry.”

The door opened allowing light from the hallway to enter the dim room. The large cheetah, carrying an oversized lunch bag for a bunny, almost tripped over a stool as he spun himself around so not to see Judy in nothing but a t-shirt and her panties as she finished wrapping her leg. “I… I’m so sorry Ju… Judy, I didn’t see anything, really… really. I promise I didn’t see your little carrot dotted pantie… oh… oh my”

“Ben… it’s alright… really. Look I’ve got the sheet back over me so you can turn around. Come-on big fella. I need your help now.”

The tubby cheetah slowly turned around, his cheeks and ears still flushed red. He tiptoed over to the bed and pulled a large salad out of the bag. Then whispered, “The radio and your phone are at the bottom of the salad.” Ben had a small gym bag as well with some of Judy’s street clothes from her locker.

“My phone, but it was smashed and the CSI guys still took it.”

“Yep, yep, I asked if they got what they needed off the memory card and they said they did. So I found the parts to fix the screen down in the tech department and fixed it all up for you. I kind of like tinkering with stuff like that you know.”

“Oh Benny, you are so full of surprises.” Judy stood up on the bed and gave the cheetah a big hug making him cover his eyes and blushing all over again.

“Judy, the sheet.”

“Oh Benny, you are so adorable. Always stay yourself okay.” Judy sat back down in her bed and unlocked her phone to see if it still worked fine. Then with her ears going flat in doubt, she opened her message app and wrote out a text to Nick.

<Slick Nick> Where r u?

<Slick Nick> I am so worried!

<Slick Nick> Please respond!

“Maybe he doesn’t have his phone.” Ben suggested.

“Maybe?” the rabbit said sorrowfully.

Judy took out the radio, “Ben, what’s the code for the encrypted network?”

Ben gave Judy a frown. Judy was not officially back on duty and giving out that information could get the cheetah into a lot of hot water; but on the other paw, Ben had been very upset at the way the newest officer to join Precinct One had been treated as he always believed all the officers to be part of the same team and all should have each other’s backs; rank, gender, species or size did not matter to the happy go lucky officer and Judy had become his friend from day one.

“Ben, please, I have to know. If you tell me I will owe you the best truthful gossip I find out about on anyone and I will even get you tickets to the next Gazelle concert…” that sealed the deal.

“1453 then # and the code will count down by 2 every day for the rest of this month.” Ben said, “but I want a Gazelle t-shirt as well.”

“Fine, fine, I promise.” Judy punched the unlock code into the radio and the receiver crackled to life […approach with extreme caution. REPEAT-REPEAT- APB on suspect Nicholas Wilde, Red Fox, may be savage or pretending to be savage. Wanted for the mauling death of officer Judy Hopps. Arrest on sight. Non-lethals only. Go to coded channel 4-20 if spotted to report sighting and receive backup. Subject may be armed. Approach with extreme caution…]

“Nick, Nick didn’t… Benny why…” Judy was holding onto the cheetah, trembling with panic, “I… I have to go find him. Ben, I have to help…”

“Judy, It’s okay, It’s will be okay, it not real… I mean… Oh, I, well I am not suppose to say, Judy… Oh my… it is to fool the conspirators…” Benny tried to explain as he tried to settle the rabbit back down in her bed.

“Why, what, I don’t understand? Won’t most the ZPD be out looking for Nick then? What is Nick doing? Who knows about this? Who is helping him? What if some gung-ho cop decides to shoot Ni—”

“Slow down Judy! You need to calm down. I don’t know all the details but this is the plan Nick convinced the Chief to go with.”

Judy stood back up on the bed and put a small paw on Benny’s muzzle, “Nick’s plan? What plan Benny, I want to know right now? What is Nick trying to do?”

“He, uh, well… he is trying to find that terrorist ram… you know, the one that shot all those mammals with the Night Howler stuff. He… he thinks he might know how to find him.”

Judy sat back down in her bed with her paws pulling her ears, “Sweet cheese and crackers, that stupid, stupid fox is going to get himself killed. How could the Chief let a citizen put themselves in danger like that…”

“Judy, listen, I don’t know why the Chief went along with this but I know he wouldn’t just let Nick walk into danger. Sergeant Wolfard and Sergeant Kowolfwski are watching him. He also has air support and SWAT waiting for a call on the helipad. Plus Officer Delgato, Fangmire, Grizoli and Snarlov are following in separate units. It will be okay. Judy you have to trust him, you will only hurt yourself more and make Nick worry if you go try to help him.” The chubby cheetah was right, he may not be a beat officer but he did know the abilities of the officers he served and had to dispatch and he loved all of them in his own way, just like the chief. And Judy in her short time on the force had become one of his best friends. She had spoken many times to him about the sly fox after the missing mammals case. One thing Benny was exceptional at was reading mammals and he had seen how Judy had been changed by her short time with the city fox. He could tell if a mammal was trustworthy within a short while or if they were telling the truth or if they had something to hide. It was one of the reasons the chief kept him around.

“Look Judy, give them a chance. Look, I should not be telling you this, but you can listen to the task force on channel 15-5. You have to promise to keep off the radio. If you want, I can stay with you a bit. I am off until Monday and I can hang out a bit…” the cheetah began to say rather bashfully.

“Okay, Benny, I would rather like that if you don’t mind.” Judy took the gym bag from the cheetah and smiled gestured for the large cat to turn around, “I’ll put on my ZPD sweat pants, thanks for bringing me some clothes by the way.”

“Oh, yah, your welcome. I had forgot to ask for your combination to your lock so I use the master key…”

“What, wait… oh yup, I didn’t tell you that. So, you can get into anyone’s locker Benny?” Judy asked in a sly tone.

“I… I don’t, I didn’t look at anything, I wouldn’t really… I didn’t see anything either…”

“Oh… carrot stix,” Judy shuddered in realization, “you saw it didn’t you.”

“I didn’t see anything you don’t want me to see… promise…”

Judy had turned around now that she had her ZPD sweat pants on and a ZPD tank top. She had her arms crossed and one of her hind paws hard started to thump almost as fast as Benny’s tails was nervously flicking. “Benny, it’s okay, turn around and tell me.”

The nervous cheetah turned around with both paws covering his eyes, his tail whipping Judy across the face causing her to get more flustered.

“Out with it Spots.”

“Really, Judy… I didn’t see the photo of Nick in only some khaki shorts stretching next to a fountain in Sahara Square taped to the back of your locker or a fox size Pawain-shirt hanging with your stuff that smelled like Nick… I didn’t see none of that… I promise.

“If you tell anyone you gossiping ball of fur, you will have two more large spots around your eyes and I will make sure that Bogo makes you go to sparring with me as your partner for the next month.”

“No, no, no, Judy, I promise, I won’t tell Nick a thing about this… really.”

Judy crawled back up on the large hospital bed that was large enough for a tiger or more. She propped up the pillows then patted the side of the bed next to her, “Well then Ben, come on, help me with this radio and,” Judy pulled over the side table, “Chief brought in this laptop so I could do my report, I think I can pull up the ZPD call-map or at least Zoogle Maps.”

“Oh, I can do better little bunny.” The cheetah opened his back pack and pulled out a thick laptop along with a very high-tech headset. “This is one of the portable dispatch command consoles. I have to have it with me at on my day offs in case of a large emergency.”

“I thought you weresent to records Benny?”

“Oh soggy donuts…I< I wasn’t suppose to mention that. The chief sort of has me doing dispatch through the onboard cruiser computers. Well, I think it’s why he keeps me in Precint One—I just have a nack for it. I have always been good with thinking fast and using technology,” He frowned, “better than being on the beat. Ben suddenly got quiet.”

You okay Benny?”

The fat cat snapped out of his funk, “Oh yeah, you now. I was on the streets for a bit… I just do this way better. Have to make the world a better place the best way we can… I can log into it on passive mode and see everything I would see from my des… ooof!” Benny was almost knocked backwards onto the bed as Judy hugged him around his large neck. It was always like that little rabbit to know how to cheer up anyone. Was that a rabbit thing? “Oh, but back to the pawian shirt…but what did the fox do when he notice his shirt was gone…that had to be pretty funny.” And then the fat cheetah began to giggle, then chuckle then laugh until the bed was bouncing Judy until she grabbed his whiskers and yanked him down.

“Clawhouser!” his eyes crossed at the rabbit standing on his belly and then…they both laughed like kits.

Benny’s mood went from nervous to excited as a cub to be excepted by Judy in such a way. He gingerly got sat back up beside her as he was about three to four times her size and maybe several times her weight. Still he like Judy because she was one mammal that never really saw the differences in any of her fellow officers so much as a challenge but as something special about all of them and even then, that they were all one in blue as ZPD officers, even if Benny just sat behind a dispatcher’s desk, or for now in the records room.

“You know, I think Nick is a really nice mammal and he seems to be a good friend of yours.” The cheetah told Judy as he settled himself on the bed.”

Judy looked up at him, her nose twitching and her ears at attention. “When did you talk to Nick? What did he say about… about me?”

“The Chief had me bring in some… oh just some paperwork,” he did not want to tell her that he had helped Wolfard look through the records archive for background on her fox friend, “and… well you know, while you had the therapist working with you on your leg I got to meet him. We talked for a bit and he just seemed like, well he, he was all like Carrots this, and Carrots that, and how you saved his life and how no one ever treated him like you did. I told him if he was your friend he was mine too and we just had some laughs… you know.”

Judy’s heart and face felt warm with hearing how the fox talked about her. It only made her miss him more though. “Thanks Ben, so how do we hear what’s going on with the case?”

“Okay, the radio is already unlocked using a master pin. It won’t show your GPS for now. Judy, if they find out I let you do this…”

“I understand Ben, I listen only, no transmitting. I promise.” Judy tuned the radio to 15-5 and immediately heard frantic words from Sergeant Wolfard.

[5-1 to Air 1, go back to the alley on Haymarket Boulevard and check every warehouse for that tracer signal. Alpha 7, Alpha 12 cover the warehouses in the alleys running parallel to Haymarket, we have to find those damn foxes or the boss will skin us all alive]

Benny just snatched the radio out of Judy’s paws just as she was about to scream her frustrations at the entire ZPD through the mic. “No, no no…”

“Give me that radio or else…”

Back in Finnick’s Van — Meadowlands Dockside Warehouse districts:

“So Wilde, I guess we should let your cop buddies stop freaking out now and find us before they send in a SWAT team of Rhinos and Razorbacks.” Just then Finnick pulled a small transistor type device out of his pocket and reconnected a wire to the battery it included.

“How did you know?” Nick asked the smirking desert fox.

“Come-on Wilde, you think anyone is going to put a tracker on my van without me knowing. I’ve been at this since you were a kit, remember.” Fin stepped out and walked to the back of the van as did Nick. The small fox opened the rear door and jumped up to pull a couple of beers out of a cooler. “Damn, a hate the smell of this humid hay chomper air”

[Air one to Alpha 1-5, the tracker just came back up on line. We have the target three blocks southwest of your current pos. In the alley one block east of Haymarket and Wheatgrass Industrial drive]

Chompsy spun the wheel on the SUV sliding it 180 degrees in the narrow alley, crushing several trash cans and taking off the side view mirror. Neither wolf cared as the tires on the vehicle smoked, burning in the grease of spilled waste from the trash filling the alley.

The small fox handed his larger red furred friend the beer then sat on the rear of the van, bringing him muzzle to muzzle in height with him, “Nicky, listen… while we have time… ever since I picked you up on that desert highway after that witch of a vixen convinced you to leave—What was her name…Sandy?”

“Sam… Samantha.” Nick replied, some deep pain flashing in his eyes of memories he never shared.

“Whatever… anyway, for years you’ve pushed back against this city twice as hard as it pushed against you. I’ve never asked about that time you disappeared… figured it as long as you were back and help’n me with cons, none of my business. I keep my muzzle out of other mammal’s scat, always have. If I don’t need to know then I don’t ask. I think I might have been wrong though Red.” Fin looked a bit regretful. “You were my friend. I should a been an ear for ya.” He shook his head, “Anyway, my point, as hard as you pushed back against this city, as hard as you tried to show nott’n gets to you, Wilde, well the emptier you became…” Fin poured out the last gulp of his beer on the dirty pavement. “just a shell of a fox, walls with nutt’n inside.”

“I… I’m okay Fin. Don’t worry ‘bout me.”

“Keep tell’n yourself that fox. I’ve never seen those walls of yours crack until you hustled that bunny cop and then later regretted it like you had robbed your grandma or some’n. Then she hustled you into helping her on that case and next thing I know you come show’n up two days later acting just like that teenage kit I found on that highway—heart broken, defeated, and like you just learned the world is a cruel place for the first time.”

“I did not…” Nick held a paw up to his chest, trying to protest.

“Shit Wilde, I actually went to your maw… told her I thought you were going to do some’n stupid like walk into Big’s office and call him a rat.” Fin, did not care about Nick’s hurt expression, “Mamma Wilde told me about your little personal den you’ve been working on over above your dad’s old place…”

“She, she knew about that…” Nick’s ears pinned back and his eyes looked even more defeated, like a lost kit. “…she knew and she never…”

“No, she never interfered Wilde. She knows when you are ready you’ll have the furry fruit to tod up and go see her. She wants you to find your own way…”

Fin put is glasses back on and reached over to slap the red fox—hard. “…and damnit kit, it’s about time you start growin’ that pair and actin’ like a real tod.” Fin looked at the sunned fox that sat there rubbing his muzzle just a bit but now had his eyes on Finnick. “I don’t know what that bunny cop did for ya, don’t care—but I think, …shit, can’t believe I’m say’n this… I think she’s good for ya fox. That is why I told her you were sulking under that damn bridge.”

“You told her?” Nick leaned back against his door, trying to size up his little friend.

“Yep, I did, deal with it. Now what is wrong with your sorry sagging tail? Fin asked with his gruffest snarl ever.

Nick knew the fennec was not in the mood for playing around any longer and Nick had become so tired—not only from the lost sleep due to nightmares but from trying to keep the smug mask on when he was falling apart on the inside. It all just came spilling out, “It’s so messed up Fin. We had to pretend I went savage and killed her so Bellwether would confess…”

“Ya, ya, I heard the entire story, gonna wait for the TV movie of the week… so what’s your deal if it all worked out Red?”

“So many rutting things could have gone wrong, I could have killed her… hell I almost did. She was so scared and I… oh god Fin, I could smell it—smell her fear… of me…or maybe it was of the rams. No matter, she was scared, we both were but she kept it inside. When she screamed as I bit her throat… that scream and that smell and the smell of her blood and the taste of her…” Tears were dampening Nicks red fur into dark black furrows under his eyes. “Every rutting night since then if I fall asleep I dream that I did it. That I ripped her throat out and I hear her scream and wake up as he dies… but I still hear her and smell her…her, her blood and her fear.” Nick just shook now.

“Nicholas… listen…” Fin used Nick’s full name to get his attention, getting Nick to lift his ears just a bit and turn to look sideways through his reddening eyes. “…you are not that mammal. You have never hurt another mammal in anger as far as I have known you. You have the skills to be one of Big’s enforcers and yet the only time you have ever used force was to defend those who could not defend themselves… I mean your great in a fight when we were backed into a corner dude but, it’s like you hated your own claws afterword. Big’s. right, you were never meant for this life. You know it…”

“Wait, so you and Big, you both are part of this, you both want me to become a cop?” Nick asked.

“Rut sake no… but…” the fennec turned away, “How else am I going to face your mom if I keep lettin’ you pull hustling jobs you big red pain in my tail? Fin put his hind paws back up on the van’s rear bumper, “Look Wilde, you’ve been the best friend I’ve ever had and that’s sayin’ a lot cause I don’t want any friends. No matter how tough these streets have been you’ve always tried to see the good in mammals that others just don’t see. Hell, you’ve made me begging to see it too damn it. Gonna make me soft. You’re a good hustler, the best I’ve ever taught but you know the best hustles you make are always when you are helping others deal with the crap they get from mammals that are treaten’ em like scat… regular Robbin freakin’ Hood. Wilde.

Wilde started to open his muzzle but Fin kept speaking, “…and don’t give me that piss-poor I’m a fox, nobody loves me crap. If nobody expects anything from you than you ain’t got nothin’ to prove to nobody but yourself… screw em. You lived in a wall of guilt and shame for being a fox for ever… well get over it. You’re a damn good fox. Marian is a wonderful hard-working Vixen. The world ain’t going to define me and it shouldn’t define you. Hell, I’ve tried to teach you that but it seems like the only mammal that has been able to kick some real sense into that tail of yours is that bunny.”

“Fin, you’ve always been a good…”

“Shut it Wilde… you’ve kept yourself walled off to your maw, to any possible sweet lookin’ vixen, or hell any available lady tail… and even to me. That bunny cop has the unshakable Mr. Red turning into little Nicholas Piberious Wilde, and before you whine it is rutting okay. Yep, I have never seen such a spark in your eyes like when you talked about her before she hustled you off to that big case.”

“She… she’s just a bunny, Fin—means nothin’ to me…” Nick tried to put his hustler mask back on crossing his paws in front of his chest but just then Fin’s phone got an unknown text.

<<Unknown>> Finnick, this is Judy, the bunny cop… is Nick with you? Please! I need to speak to him.

Judy had no other way of contacting Nick. Ben told her the Nick’s phone was in evidence still but she had seen the desert fox’s contact info on the phone when Nick looked at an incoming text from the mall fox while they were working the missing mammals case. She was a very observant officer after-all.

Fin smiled at his phone as he started to reply to the text, >>rut yes your boyfriend is with me.

“No wait Fin, you can’t send …”

“Sent.” Fin said as he gave a very one-sided toothy smile. Before he could put his phone back in his pocket it began to wring.

“Whuz up bunny cop?” the smiling fox said into his phone as he smirked at Nick who was making gestures as if to say he was not there.

“I am not that rotten flee bag of a red furred slick lying fox’s boyfriend! Now put him on the phone before I promise to make it my mission to have you both thrown in jail for whatever crimes I can make stick…GOT IT!”

Fin put a paw to the mic on his phone and smiled at Nick, “Oh she sounds cute when she’s mad.”

“I AM NOT CUTE…AND I AM A RABBIT SO I CAN HEAR THE BOTH OF YOU RIGHT NOW SO PUT THE STUPID FOX ON THE PHONE NOW!”

“Here you go stupid, hahahaha….” Fin burst out laughing as he handed his phone to Nick.

Nick took the phone gingerly and gently put it to his head like it was about to explode or something. “Ah, hi ah Carrots…”

“Don’t you Carrots me Nick Wilde. You promised me you would never leave and y…you would… would be… become…my p..partner…. on the ZPD… how could you.” Judy’s anger had turned into a tearful hurt as she tried to stay angry with the fox.

Nick’s ears drooped and he sagged down onto the back of the van. He put his other paw against the phone to try to whisper into it. “Please Judy, please don’t hate me but… I… I just need to… I have to…”

“Too what Nick? Run away from all of your fears, from, from me. Why? Just tell me why?

Judy’s words were piercing Nick’s heart. He hated making her feel this way. He put a finger pad on the end call button and sighed. No… he couldn’t do this to her. She trusted him. “Judy, listen, just listen please. I don’t have much time.”

“Wait, what’s going on…” Judy’s tone went from hurt to worry.

“I can’t explain right now. I’m coming back. I promise.” Nick winced at his own words, glad he was not looking at her on muzzle time. He could not lie to her when he saw those beautiful amethyst eyes. “…I just need to find the ram… the one that was making the toxin pellets. I think I know where he is and if we can find him, maybe we can force him to make a cure… you know… to help the savage mammals. I just have to do this, okay.”

Judy’s sniffling had almost stop. “You could have just told the Chief…”

“No Judy, just understand… I know these mammals. It has to be someone they have seen before like Fin and I. I’ll be okay. We’ll call in the cavalry as soon as we see that ram… I promise. Hey but I have to go.”

“Alright, I’m still angry at you for not trusting to tell me… you need to trust your friends Nick.”

Nick knew she was right, but trust was not a character trait he had found useful for most of his life. “I will work on that Carrots… you will help me… you already have. Can I ask you a question? It’s kind of strange.”

“…, I, a question? I guess, what Nick?” Judy replied in a softer trusting tone now.

“Was your grandmother friends with Mr Big or his grandmother?”

Fin almost grabbed the phone back from the red fox but Nick pulled away. “Carrots, did you hear me?”

“Yes, yes I did. It’s just a strange question. My grandmother has never left the burrows Nick. I am close to her and if she was friends with anyone in Zootopia, especially a crime boss I think she would have told me. I was even named after her you know.”

“Okay, I’m sorry… I really have to go right now Carrot’s. I’ll be back!” Nick said the last words mimicking the phrase and tone from a popular science fiction movie line as he hit the end call button.

Back in her hospital bed Judy just looked back up to the cheetah sitting next to her. “That was so strange. I just don’t know. He never sounded like that before… kind of sad and… well almost sorrowful, and why would he want to know about my Grandmama.”

Ben didn’t know how to respond. He just shook his head and shrug his shoulders but wanted to help Judy get her mind off not being with the fox. “So you were named after your grandma, that’s cool.” Benny said.

“Well kind of, it’s a long story. Only my middle name. Rabbits don’t always have middle names but my grandmother and I were close so I took her middle name—Laverne. She was Maureen Laverne Hopps.”

Nick looked over at the fennec, “Oh and Mr. Big must have been talking about another Hopp’s family. Judy’ was named after her grandmother she said so, not Maureen Hopps. Plus she said her grandmother has never left the burrows.”

The fennec just shrugged. “Maybe, I dono’, never asked her full name or nuttin’ ‘bout her family.”

“You met her!”

Fin shook his head, “I told you, Grandmama Big loved to play Penuckle and Canasta and sometimes the old doe would visit when they came to check on business with the major produce suppliers within the city. Like I said… they all had warehouses in Tundratown and Big’s ran the docks, shipping, trucking and most of the warehouses. Those old females were vicious card players. Played strip poker with them one night too…” Fin began to snicker that turned into a laugh.

“Now I know she could not have been related to Judy—she’s as innocent as a church mouse.” Nick said still trying to grasp what the desert fox was rambling on about, “…but wait, they actually played strip poker with you. And did anything happen.”

“Yep, first time I ever felt like a piece of meat being devoured. They beat me in no time flat. Made me stand on the table and turn like I was one of those undies models but I didn’t have a stitch on. And it was worse cause Grandmama keeps it so cold… but” Fin grinned, “that doe was down to her bra and panties, she was still a pretty good looker back then… well for a rabbit. Not like the bunny cop, she had some softness to her chasis. What do they call it… a cute little dewlap?”

“Seriously Fin?”

“I ain’t lyin’ Red. I was a lot younger then and pretty stupid though, If Antoine Allowicious Bekhan Big would have found out that his grandmama was playing strip poker with a doe rabbit and a street fox while he and his enforcers were off to the old country, he probably would have had Kozlov skin me alive.”

Fin looked back a Nick, “Anyway, we was talking about your ass and what a sorry sack of scat you had become until bunny cop came back…”

“I wasn’t that bad,” Nick whined, showing his frustration that they were back on this topic.

Fin opened the cooler and pulled out another beer, “Really… how long did you spend under that damn bridge, not goin’ on even one hustle with me?”

Nick sat there under his friend’s gaze. He knew the fennec was right…100 percent. After a moment of silence, he sighed, “I guess I was pretty bad.” Then Nick took a sip of his beer that was now getting warm, set the half empty bottle on the van’s rear bumper and looked down at the dirty alley. “You really think I could be a cop, fin?”

Fin shrugged as he took another long swig, licked his muzzle then cocked his head and said, “Not sure… I just know this Wilde, you may have forgotten but you use to talk about being a fireman when I first found you in the streets… or maybe a cop. You use to go on and on with that Robbin Hood story from ol’ fox’s tails and say that you wanted to fight the bad cops and shake down mammals that took the small shop keeps’ cash for protection, yep… be seen as the good guy someday.” Fin could see Nick’s eyes light up at the mention of the story Nick’s father use to tell him when he was just a kit. “You know the real dude, that Robbin of Foxlley, mammal was hunted down and killed in the end right, him and his pretty vixen… what was her name?”

“Marian.”

“Oh yeah, Marian, like your maw… yep they both died in the end… no happily ever after Wilde.”

Nick’s tail sagged, “Yeah, the real story is never a fairy tale, is it little buddy?”

“But yours could be, Wilde.” Fin said as he finished his beer then wiped the las bit of foam from his muzzle. “Where are those stupid wolf cops anyway?”

Nick looked down the long alley, “A real life, can’t imagine it right now.” Nick looked under a blanket covering a large pallet of something that had been placed in the back of Fin’s Van. “Skunk Butt Rugs… and isn’t that the crate with false storage compartment for smuggling?”

“Yup.” Fin laughed, Grandmama Big loved her rug too you know, softest fur ever she would say.”

The two foxes looked at one another then broke out laughing just as two SUV’s came barreling down the alley, both with flashers in their grilles blue and red strobe lights.

The undercover police trucks skidded to stop twenty feet behind the van as four angry predators, two with tranquilizer pistols and the other two with lethals, pulling their badges and yelling for Wilde and Finnick to get on the ground.

Fin just pulled four beers out of his cooler, “Thirsty boys… oh shit, and rut my ass, she’s pretty hot… girl cops too huh.”

Scott Wolfard gestured for the others to stand-down as he put away his sidearm. “What the hell Wilde…”

Nick just shrugged his shoulders with a sly grin

[This is Alpha 1-5, we have the target back under task. All units back to shadow covering positions]

[Roger Alpha 5]

Finnick just waved the beers at the officers making the large lion, Delgato step forward pulling a badge on a lanyard from under his main.

Finnick kicked his head back and gave a vicious half snarl, “Badges, we don’t need no stinking badges!” then he smiled showing all his sharp fangs to the growling lion.

Nick smiled, “No the line is ‘We don’t need no stinking badgers!’”

“Rut that Wilde, that’s from the parody version.” Fin protested.

“You’re crazy, why would badges stink… like you, you little long eared…”

“I’m telling bunny cop you hate long ears now foxy boy.” Fin smiled, “She has sexy ears like mine, well not as fine as mine but…”

“Shut it you two mangy foxes!” The lion roared at them.

“Okay, okay, cool it Delgato. Wilde, what’s with the disappearing act?” Wolfard asked the red fox.

Nick gestured to the back of the van and to his partner, “We had to get a plan together and to stop you all from ruining the entire deal.”

“What plan and what do you mean we were ruining the deal?” Wolfard demanded.

“The grass chompers we need to see are dumb as shit but they ain’t stupid. They been watch’n that chopper since it started buzzing over the Meadowlands fools. And you big fuzz balls are going to stick out like and elephant in Lil’rodentville and all you know. They don’t like preds… not even big harry dumb ones…” Fin said looking at the fuming lion officer.

Before any of the officers could protest or shoot the little fox with a tranquilizer Scott Wolfard just agreed, “So what’s your plan?”

“Wolfy…really?” The tigress began to protest.

Wolfard just held up a paw.

“Wolfy, how cute… You should put that on your uniform,” Nick began as Wolfard rolled his eyes, “…okay, okay, look, about six more blocks we hit the dock warehouse district. At the end of that is an old ship dry-docks with a back gate. That is our entrance. The sheep will have lookouts on the building tops, shipping cranes and even the streets from the next few blocks down. Now that you panicked and hit the radios to start calling the other units to look for me they will have heard that too. The district 23 cops are probably all over your secure code and who knows how many are still in with Bellwether. That’s actually good for us. You use your phone to call the chopper…. Send them toward the mountains then back over towards Tundratown. Have them say they picked up the tracker going that way.” Nick looked at Fin as the small fox threw a little electronic device to the lion.

“Your back-up has to back off completely… head toward the decoy route high speed. They’ve been spotted by now. All of them.” Nick looked at the lion and tigress.

Wolfard and Chompsy folded their paws, “Hold on Wilde, this is my op, you are not doing this on your own…” the you wolf officer said.

Nick and Fin smiled, “Oh, you two can come.” Nick threw up a tarp in the back of the van revealing the crate of skunk butt rugs. He punched the side and the false side fell open revealing that the top of the crate was very shallow and had a false bottom in it allowing room for the two wolves to crawl in under the rugs, “Hope you don’t mind the smell. They have been de-scented but I know police wolves have very well-trained noses.” Both the foxes laughed.

Chompsy looked indignant at the two foxes but Wolfard just grabbed his phone and made a call. Soon his portable radio chirped signaling that a call was coming on the coded frequency. [Alpha 1-5 go ahead]

[Alpha 1-5, air 5, we have tracking signal picked up again coming out of the downtown warehouses heading east on Forrest Mountain Drive towards Z-290 Tunnel on D-359]

[Alpha 1-5, all shadow units, head towards Tundratown to begin cutting them off, probably heading to Big’s docks on southeast. Get me an airship over that way. We are heading to pursue.]

“Okay Fang, Delgato, make like you’re on the chase of your life and head towards that tunnel. Fangmire, you take our vehicle and have Delgato chase you a few cars back. Delgato go code 3 and call in 2 of the other units to help. Let them in on it over the phone, then use the radio to make it sound legit. As soon as you hit the tunnels, you and Fangmire come back this way and send the air as soon as you can call them.”

The tigress and lion both looked pissed but just went with it, “Roger Sarge, hope you know what you’re doing trusting your life to these foxes.” Then soon both SUV’s sped off

Wolfard started to climb into the back of the van on his paws and knees then asked, “Won’t they have a mammal that can smell us Wilde?”

“Oh yeah, they got an old Siberian tiger at the gate. He’s the only predator muscle they keep around, actually works security for the shipyard but that old cat has snort so much catnip he can’t smell Fin’s bad breath.” Wilde chuckled.

Chompsy got into the crate with Wolfard, “Rut’n hell this is a tight squeeze for two wolves. And it still stinks of skunk butt for sure.”

“Yep… never can quite get the smell out. Give me one of your radios with the mic open. If we see Ramses, I’ll let you know.”

Nick closed the crate and the two foxes got back in front of the van then headed back down the alleys toward the docks. Within a few blocks they passed a few sheep they knew had to be lookouts. “We just passed a sheep and a goat on the second-floor fire escape; one had some binoculars and a radio the other had a shotgun.”

They got a thump on the crate in an acknowledgment.

“Two blocks to the security gate—keep quiet now.”

Fin turned his hard rock station back on very loud, just before they pulled up to the ship yard back security gate.

“HEY, OLD TIMER, THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!” Fin yelled over his stereo.

“WHAT?, OH HELL, TURN THAT SCAT NOISE OFF.” The old tiger said as he looked into the van.

Fin turned down the music just a bit. “You old Tomcat, you haven’t overdosed on nip yet?”

“I haven’t seen you two foxes in months. Whachya want?

“We have a delivery from Big… Rugs.”

“Rugs, what, I thought that old shrew was dead. Let me see these rugs. You foxes, always trying to pull a hustle…”

“Call up to the office… isn’t, ah what’s that goat with the one broke horn called, Buttbeard or sumthin’”

The tiger chuckled, “Mr. Lutzbeard, but yeah I still have to call… and check the van. Rules fox.” The tiger stepped into his shack and got onto his phone. In a few seconds he came out then said, “Okay, just let me check the back. Rugs you say.”

Yep, have a look.” Nick said looking over past Finnick

The old tiger adjusted his glasses under his ball cap then walked to the back of the van, pounding on the sides as he went. Nick and Finnick just looked in their perspective rear view mirrors until the tiger disappeared behind the van. As the rear doors opened, letting the morning sun fill the rear of the van, Nick got out of his seat and stepped around the large tarp covered crate, putting on his sunglasses as he reach the rear of the van. “Sure is a hot morning.”

“Yep… hey matter of fact, how come you foxes coming in the daylight anyway? Thought you were darktime mammals or such.”

“You got me for sure. I usually don’t crawl out of the sack until 4pm. The big boss wanted this trade made. Some kind of rush deal.” Nick sad with his cool slick persona in place.

“Well then, Mr. Lutzbeard did say it was about time so I guess he was thinkin’ you shoulda been here sooner. Anyway, what’s under the tarp boy.”

Nick flipped back the tarp, revealing the large crate of skunk butt rugs. “See for yourself.”

“Boss said textiles… these look like rugs, I guess, feel damn soft too. What they made of?” The tiger asked as he held one to his muzzle?”

“You can’t tell?” Nick asked. The old Siberian tiger just shrugged no. “Well would you believe skunk butt fur?”

“Hell no?” The tiger winced as he moved the rug away but then sniffed it again. “don’t smell like no skunk butt. How do you get the Skunks to let you shave their asses.”

“Oh, they get paid well, better than that wool from these sheep, that’s for sure and way better than the fake stuff… am I right?”

“Oh yeah, hate all the synthetic crap they have out now. Makes me shed and itch.” Then the tiger started to punch a clawed extended paw into the top of the crate while asking, “How many rugs fit in here anyway?”

Nick had to think quickly, the tiger would feel the false top and know something was wrong. He was old but he was still a several hundred-pound Siberian tiger and could put up a fight. Besides, he had a radio and the guard shack was only a few steps away. It would only be a couple seconds before the tiger pushed deep enough to feel the false top.

“Hey old timer, you want one of these rugs… on me? We got a ton of them in here and we never did count them. Boss just wanted the remaining stock gone.” Nick said with as pleasant a tone his hustler mask could put on.

“Oh yeah, that would be great! You would not miss one really? Damn great…” The tiger pulled the top rug out with a smile. “I have an old skunk neighbor—hate his guts. Always has party’s and they always stink up the apartments. I’m going to show them one of these with a grin and just let him imagine how I got it.”

Nick gave his best fake belly laugh, “Oh hell yeah, that’s a great one. Here, take one more. This one is kind of small anyway. You can use it as a door mat or a chair backer—really piss ‘em off.” Nick smirked.

“Thanks young mammal. Okay, let me put these in my shack and I’ll open the gate. You remember how to get up to the old grain dock warehouse—peer twenty-five.”

“Yep, sure it looks different in the daylight but I think we can manage.”

“Great, and thanks again for the rugs.” The tiger folded the rugs in his arms and took them to his shed. He hit a large red button by the door and the hum of heavy industrial motors, and squeal of poorly maintained metal wheels came to life as the large metal chain-link gate began to roll away on its tracks. As soon as it had opened enough for the green van Fin hit the gas letting his rear tires spit dust and gravel all over the tiger and his guard shack, as foxes and their cargo headed into the old shipyards.

“Damned foxes after all.” The tiger growled as he waved his old ball cap around his head to clear the dust cloud then began coughing.

Nick pounded on the crate, “be ready boys, we are about a minute from the warehouse now. I see two rams on the roof and a couple on the cargo crane.” Nick said loud enough for Wolfard and Chompsy to hear on Wolfard’s radio.

“Ruttin’ hell Wilde, the ZPD is here.” The desert fox said.

“Fin, we have them in the van with us…”

“Not those wolves you idiot fox, those friggen grass chompers over there.” Fin pointed to two ZPD cruisers parked in the shadow of the large shipping cargo crane that dwarfed over them. Two rams in ZPD uniforms stood outside the patrol car smoking cigars and one sat inside, his seat leaned back. It looked like he was listening to the radio. They all were armed with tranquilizers Nick presumed.

“Think they can be trusted.” Nick asked.

Just then he heard some rapid banging on the crate and both wolves say loudly, “No!”

Nick winced at that but the fennec just smiled, “Even cops know you can’t trust cops…. dumb fox.”

“Fin, you think you can figure a way to make sure those cars don’t follow us.” Nick asked.

“Just like old times Red?”

“Just like old times lil’ buddy.”

“I hate that name Wilde.”

“I know you do. You work better pissed off”

“Hate you.”

“No you don’t”

“Do to.”

“Give daddy a kiss…”

“You want your face to stay pretty for that bunny cop…hmm slick?”

“Okay, okay, pull over behind the warehouse, back by that old fork truck.”

“Hey Wilde, remember, you need to act scared as shit, the ZPD are after you…”

“I got this Fin.” Nick said but inside he was scared to death. He need to find Doug Ramses and get him back to the ZPD. He then needed to find a way to get some of his hidden cash so he could disappear for a long, long time. But that was going to be the most difficult part. He could disappear easily… after all, no one cared about a random fox. He just began feeling sick about breaking a promise to Judy… but she would be better off in the long run… or so he tried to convince himself.

Fin pulled the van behind the warehouse next to a large metal loading door. Both foxes got out of the van just as a billy goat and a black horn sheep came out of a door on a raised wood platform on the backside facing the van. “Can’t believe it is you two foxes? Thought Big was done with you Red. Boss sounded pissed that you’re here… says you killed some cop and Big made some deal to get you out of the city. You better have something good.” The goat yelled down as the large horned sheep walked down the steps with a large crowbar in his hooves. Fin opened the back of the van and snarled at the sheep that was easily 3 times his size, though much of the mammals bulk was due to his thick wool coat.

“Maybe if you got sheered Rockhorn, you wouldn’ be such a grumpy ol’ cotton ball.” Fin said with a cheezy grin.

“Maybe if I cut your tail off to pin to my car antenna you’d shut your mouth Fin.” The sheep said as he looked into the van, stuck the metal bar under the crate to test the weight then huffed. “What is this box of useless fur you have?” The sheep asked as he used the bar to shove one of the forks on the fork truck closer to the other.

“Just unload it you black horny…” Fin shut his mouth as he had to dodge the crowbar that was just thrown towards his head hitting the cinder block wall of the building with a loud metal clang. “You would of hit my van I would a bite your cotton face off.”

The sheep just laughed as he brought the old rust fork truck to life. With expert skill he had the machine behind Finnick’s van, guiding the forks under the large crate of rugs. As he backed out with the cargo the large metal door began to open with the sounds of electrical motors and heavy chain. Nick looked at Fin, shrugging his head to the side. The small fox understood the gesture right away and shut the van’s doors then began to walk away. “This is your deal Red, I’m goin’ to have a smoke.”

Nick gave the small fox a two fingered salute as he watched him walk off. “Fin, keep an ear out, I won’t be long lil’ buddy.”

Fin gave Nick a thumbs up as he pulled a cigar out of his front pocket and put it in the corner of his mouth. He would keep his long ears fully on alert as the small desert fox’s ears were more than just for good looks he would say. Like many mammals in Zootopia, the fennec fox had many abilities passed down genetically that his species once needed to survive as a wild predator living in hostile desert ecosystems. His long ears both helped to control his body temperature by allowing blood that passed through them to be cooled or warmed by the wind or sun. And though all foxes had excellent hearing, better than most mammals, predator or prey, the long ears of a fennec fox, like rabbits, allowed them to focus that sense, honing in on the direction of the sound they want to locate.

Nick watched the small fox disappear around the building as the black horn sheep in the fork truck drove the crate into the darkness of the warehouse. He took a nervous gulp and said to himself, ‘ _Time to pull one last con Red. Do this for Carrots…’_

“You comin’ Red?” shouted the sheep.” Just as Nick felt Fin’s phone, still in his pocket, buzz with an incoming call.

“Sure, sure… I just have to take this call… from the boss you know so just wait before you unload…”

“Whatever fox, I need to grab Lutzy first anyways… just don’t make him wait or he may get pissed.” The sheep shouted over the noise of the fork truck made louder inside the echo chamber of the large warehouse. Nick heard the metal clang of the forks slamming back down on the ground and the truck engine shutting down. “Five minutes fox.”

Nick stepped just inside the large door so he could see that the crate was still on the forks of the fork-truck. The crate was dropped next to stacks of others which was a problem as it would be impossible for the side door of the crate to open. Just as Nick answered the call, wishing he had not as he saw the number, his first words did not help the start of the conversation as he cursed to himself, “Rutting hell, this is not what I need.”

“Ni…Nick, why… what is wrong… what did I do…” Nick heard sobs starting from the voice on the line as he realized he had actually hit the answer button to Judy calling Finnick’s phone.

“No, no, no Carrots, wait… just calm down… I was not talking to you…”

“W…what… Nick what are you doing… where are you… please tell me.”

“Carrots, I really need to go… It’s not a good time.” Nick was so glad once again that it was not a video call so he could not see those sorrowful amethyst eyes that could see right through his con-fox mask. Just hearing her angelic voice made his heart sting and his throat feel dry as Sahara Square in the summer.

“Where… where are you go…ing Nick? Please, please tell me.” Judy’s desperate voice sounded so alone and so far away.

Nick climbed up into the fork truck and yelled loud enough for Wolfard and Chompsy to hear but hopefully the sheep up in the warehouse office could not. “I’m moving you so you can get out… wait until you hear me say the ram’s name.” Nick started the engine and looked at the controls that were set for a mammal the size of a large sheep.

“Who are you talking to? What Ram? Nick are you in danger… Nick stop and let the ZPD do this… it…it’s not your job… ‘sob’ please… please Nicholas…”

“Carrots, quiet, just listen, Judy, listen.” The use of the rabbits first name stopped her words. Nick could hear her heart pounding and short sobbing breaths through the phone. His own heart was going to break with what he had to say next, “Judy, I have little time left so please just listen…”

“Yes… I, I am here, go on.” The doe said quietly.

“I have to do this. The ZPD has been compromised and so I need to do this… to find Ramses and let Wolfard bring him in. That ram can make an antidote.

“But Nick…”

“No Fluff, I, I have too.” Nick started the engine and used to paws to work the lever that lifted the crate.

“Bu…but are you… are you coming back.” The sweet but torn voice said, piercing Nick’s heart. He knew this was going to hurt her… hurt them both, but it was the only way.

“Judy, Judy, you will go on to be such a great police officer and do such great things but you don’t need a criminal fox to bring you down…”

No, no, no, Nicholas Wilde, You are a good mammal and you are coming back to….

“To what Fluff? No one wants a sly fox and there is no way they will ever accept a fox in the ZPD—”

“Nick, yes they will! I will make them—”

“No Judy, once this all gets out and they find out another mayor is corrupt and she even had cops helping her, the mammals of the city won’t trust anyone… not even the ZPD… especially a fox in a cop suit… They will think it is just more corruption… I know, I have grown up in a city with cops that would arrest you just for being a f…just for not being the mammal they are paid to protect. Even the good cops don’t trust a fox.

“Ni… Oh Nick, please… You promised…”

“What in ruttin’ hell fox are you doing!” came the shout of the black horn sheep coming out of the second story office that overlooked the inside of the warehouse. Behind him was a large billy goat and another ram in sweatpants and a shirt too small for his wooly coat.

“Look Fluff, I have to go… thank you for… well for making me believe in myself again, but Judy… Judy please do one thing for me…”

Nick, anything… just come home...”

Those words, the way she said them… to ‘come home’ went straight to his heart, crushing it with sorrow for a future he just could not see, but there it was, a fleeting glimpse, just so close. “Judy, if, if this goes bad… please do one thing for me…”

“ye…yes?”

“Find my mother and tell her the truth about her son… Don’t let her believe I was a bad mammal… please Judy, please…”

“Of course, Nick but please come home…”

“And Judy, tell your parents too. Tell them that I… well just let them… that you made a difference in this dumb fox’s life and I wasn’t all bad..”

“…oh Nick…” Judy was in full on sobs now. She could hardly say a word and she needed to convince her friend somehow that he was important to her, that he was her strength and courage.

“Got to go fluff…”

“Nicholas Wilde, you listen to me you… you dumb fox, I… I need you. I… I am not strong enough to do this without…

“Red! You part of this deal or not?” Yelled the burly sheep, getting less patient with the fox by the second. The gravelly voice of the large black-horn startled the fox enough to force Nick to shove the phone in his pocket. Nick believed he had hit the call end button, but as it was not his phone and he was not use to its working, all he had done was turn down the call volume. Judy and her excellent hearing could still make out much of what was going on; hearing that Nick was not alone and could be in danger, she knew it was best for her to stop talking and just listen.

Judy started to shake as she curled in on herself, sobbing uncontrollably. Her anguish was so deep that even the ever-cheerful Benjamin Clauwhouser began to cry along with her as his large paws gathered her up and held her; Judy wrapping her arms around his soft furry neck. “J… Ju… Judy, You know he is a smart fox and… ‘sniff’… Wolfard and Chompsy are the best… they really are. They will b…bring hi… him home.

“I thi.. ink he… he is gone for go… good this time Ben. I pressed t…too hard.” Judy pulled away and wiped her eyes.

“No, no, Judy, call him again… tell him what he means to you… you have to tell him right now, no holding back… Just don’t let him go without letting him know.”

“I, I am on the line with him… he didn’t hang up but I think he put the phone in his pocket or something Ben. I can hear voices.” ‘ _Oh Nick what in the world did you think you could do. Don’t you know that you are so much more important to me alive than saving the world for me… Nick why did you have to be so brave but so afraid of me?’_ Judy held the phone to her ear as she looked at Ben, “There are voices with him and I think he’s in big trouble Ben.”

“Hey fox! I said what the hell you doing on that fork truck?” Yelled the sheep again as he made his way toward the metal steps leading from the elevated warehouse office.

Nick put a paw up to his ear as if he could not hear while spinning the wheel turning the vehicle 90 degrees so the hatch on the crate was facing away from the stair case. He then backed up just enough to move the crate next to several high stacked rows of various marked shipping containers. “I had to make sure that your boss could see the merchandise now.” Nick said as he jumped out on top of the crate of rugs and lifted one straight up. As he did he kicked the back of the crate with his heel in the corner causing the hatch to dislodge and fall outward onto the floor. Chompsy rolled out with his tranquilizer gun drawn, Wolfard following right after. Both wolves looked up at the back of the fox, standing on the crate holding a rug up in the air, “How could you see these fine hand-made fur rugs with them hidden behind some shipping containers now? So, I just was trying to help out and all…” The wolves took the hint and quickly low crawled into the shadows of the stacked containers.

The black-horn sheep stomped down the metal steps with loud metallic clang of each hoof. “I don’t need no help from no shifty damn fox.

“Rockhorn, you need to settle down, I have a headache as it is.” Came the voice of a billy-goat walking down the steps behind him. “Can’t believe your still alive Red, thought Big was ready to have you iced over something, oh yeah wasn’t it for selling him skunk butt rugs?” The goat said with a sarcastic snarky tone.

“Did I sell Mr Big’s Grandmama a skunk butt rug? Yes, yes I did. Was it her favorite rug of all? Yes, yes it was. She even requested to get buried in that rug. These rugs are the softest warmest fur you’ll ever feel.” Nick replied with all the slick smoothness of a car salesmen selling sports cars to rich young bachelors. Nick waved his paw, “You know how it is Lutzy, the competition always spreading rumors, right.”

“Yea, Yea, Red, so what’s the ruttin’ mess with this deal anyway. Why is Big’s number one scrounger on the run and why did the Don’s Avtoritet, that giant polar bear Kozlov, personally call to sanction this request… damn, if I don’t have enough heat on us with this stupid ram getting involved with that crazy ewe, now I have to deal with your conniving tail or get invited to a polar bear cookout as the freakin’ main course.”

All of Lutzbeard’s mammals froze then looked at the goat like he just gave away the keys to the kingdom. “Boss!” The black-horn sheep just made a zipper motion across his own muzzle.

“What’s wrong Rocky, the fox was there. Doug here knows” Lutzbeard pointed to the ram in a new sweat suite standing a step or two behind him. “This is the fox that went savage and killed that rabbit cop. That’s why he needs our help to get out of Zootopia, right Red?”

Doug Ramses looked down on the fox and bleated out in anger, “If that’s the story that pelt is trying to sell you along with those nasty rugs then he’s a lying shifty fox and Big is trying to pull something over on us boss!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did Nick just lead two of the ZPD's finest and himself into a deathtrap? And where the ruttin hell did that long eared fennec go off to?


	7. Crazy Like a Fox: Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for a WILDE ride, things are about to get CRAZY… like one of Nick Wilde’s master hustles gone complete sideways and as usual Fin has to pull his tail out of the fire. Except this time the wily fox may have conned the wrong mammals. It’s a game of grifters but of life and death, of terrorist and dirty cops and if he ever hopes to make it out alive, he’ll have to think of something crazy…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: I realize the Judy Hopps, has not had a big role as of yet. Don’t worry, she’ll recover soon enough. To many fics in my opinion have these two recover like magic. Still, I think Nick Wilde is a much more interesting character but not on his own, he needs the emotional foil that is driving his world upside down. That Amethyst eyed she-devil that haunts his dreams…ugh—females!  
> Who would have thought a fuzzy wuzzy lil bunny could be and agent of chaos… thus you will soon learn Fin and Wilde’s rule number #1 for hustling (Well Fin’s rule for Wilde):  
> Confidence-Mammal Rule #1 NO SAD-LUCK STORY RABBIT DOES… THAT IS FOR YOU WILDE!  
> Confidence-Mammal Rule #2 If you ever ask me to Hustle a cute tail of a rabbit again… SEE RULE #1  
> Hmmm… must be some history there me thinks.

**Chapter 7**

# Crazy Like a Fox, Part 3

Judy looked up at the large caped buffalo that just walked into her room. He obviously was now aware of his cheetah officer on the bed next to the rabbit and gave a deep scowl on his face but as he was about to scold the both of them Judy cut him off with terror in her voice, “Nick is in trouble, serious trouble chief and you let him walk right into a death trap!” If the gaze of a rabbit could take down a buffalo almost 100 times her weight, then that gaze was happening right now—hitting the Chief in the chest with such force that every ounce of wind in his lungs escaped his ability to make a response. Even his thick muscular arm that was pointed at the two in the bed seam to buckle under the weight of the stare as it was forced to his side.

“I… what, what do you mean? Clawhouser, how does she know… wait who are you on the phone with Officer Hopps.” The buffalo forced his back straight as he managed a commanding voice, though there was doubt in the force behind his words.

“Chief, sir, she’s on the line with Mr. Wilde. He’s at some warehouse in the meadowlands—”

“What? Wait, why are you talking to him…?”

Judy waved the phone over her as to gesture to be quiet. She had the phone in one paw and the other over the receiver. As soon as the Chief stopped talking she put it back up to her ear to listen and held a ‘Just a minute’ gesture up to the chief with her now free paw. “There are other mammals there… other than Ramses and the goat… someone calling Nick a liar…” Judy looked up wide-eyed, “A Officer Sergeant Greywool of meadowlands ZPD… and some other officer… I didn’t hear the name.”

At the same time both the Chief and Clawhouser exclaimed, “Gerywool!” with both shock and distaste.

“The large ram that was not at the museum when you arrest he others chief?”

“I knew I should have pressed harder to get that old ram investigated by I.A. Damn bastard sheep is almost untouchable out there. Well if he is part of this I will have his horns on the wall in my office!” The chief grabbed his radio, “and I’ll use those steel horn caps for shot glasses.”

[Alpha 1-1 to Alpha 1-5, are you secure]

_**Back in the Meadowlands warehouse:** _

“Sergeant Greywool is right fox, but I think it is some sort of ZPD scheme.” The burly ram in the sweat suit replied. “If you had gone savage, that is from being struck by the Night Howler serum, and I assume it would have been Bellwether who would have pulled the trigger…”

With the mention of Bellwether’s name, Nick shuddered, as his con-mammal mask cracked just a bit. The two ZPD officers hiding in the shadows of the shipping containers pushed themselves as close to the edge of the shadows as they could, hopping to see past the fork-truck and to understand the odds that were quickly stacking against them.

Doug Ramses continued to interrogate the fox standing on the crate of rugs. “If she would have shot you and you would have gone savage making you tear apart that pesky little nutcase rabbit, Which I wish I could have seen…”

Just the thought of that statement made Nick almost vomit.

“Come-on Doug,” Said the billy goat, “she was a cute little bunny though…”

 _‘Don’t call her cute you ruttin’ goat!’_ Nicks expression grew dark as anger grew

Doug gave a sickening chuckle at the goat’s remark, “Oh yea, she was a cute little one, but glad that long eared vermin is some predator’s past meal… anyway… it sure wasn’t this fox, ‘cause if it was he would still be out of his mind savage.”

“Rut’n hell Chomps, Wilde is done-for, now.” Scott Wolfard whispered back over his shoulder as he put his tranque pistol back in its holster and drew his lethal from his hip holster, “We are going to have to do something stupid Sarge.”

The older wolf just shook his head as in to say “lead-on” as he pulled a flash-bang grenade off his tactical vest. “Well I can flash them first but no way to warn the fox… let me know.” Then he put a paw on his SWAT commander’s shoulder to indicate his readiness for action.

Wilde new that the deception in their story had just been seen through. He had to let the wolf cops know about his sense of the violence about to happen— vigorously flapped his tail up and down, letting it lie flat on the crate of rugs for a moment each time. It was a clear canid signal that he hoped the wolves understood... _‘get down, stay down’_. The fox then keeping the one rug he had in paw, jumped down from the crate towards the approaching mammals, all of them two to three times his size.

Nick just kept his hustler persona in place as he came up with the truth—a brand new false truth. “Give the ram a gold star!” Then lifting his shirt to show pressure raps for his ribs and the bandages still tinged with a bit of blood from torn stiches where they repaired the rib that went through his lung, he played along, “I know exactly what happens because I was there…” the fox’s face turned up to the metal ceiling as if in a silent prayer, when he looked back down, the mammals could see fear, pain, terror, shock and regret… horrible regret in his tearing eyes… “It wasn’t me that went savage… your little mastermind was not very good with that weapon…” Nick was thinking of how things could have gone wrong to make his emotions so real that it felt like he was reliving his nightmares, it was painful, almost too terrifying, but he had to make this hustle of a life time work. “She… she hit Officer Hopps, the… the rabbit went savage.”

All the sheep and the goat just froze in shock as they listened to what seemed to be a confession from the fox. The rabbit was savage. “You mean, that bunny attacked you?” Greywool asked, “she wasn’t afraid of a fox?”

“I’ve never tested it on a prey, but yes, it would be the same, she would see the fox as her primeval mortal enemy and if cornered would attack to save her life… or maybe even attack to kill her threat.” Doug stated, never taking his eyes off the now shaking fox.

“But a rabbit against a fox?” one of the rams asked.

Doug spoke again, “I saw an otter almost kill a panther five times his size… go on Red…”

“I… I… had to… I mean she would not stop. I did not mean to.” Nick was not sure if his tears were fake or real now, not sure if his acting was recounting a dream or reality, “…she was on top of me before I could react. I couldn’t breathe… I just reacted, I didn’t mean to…”

“And there ruttin’ hell ain’t know way that those cops at Precinct One are going to believe a fox killed their poster girl hero cop in self-defense… oh hell Red you are so dead.” Lutzbeard finally made the point.

Nick just lowered both paws with his ears and tail, “I was hustled into helping her and now they all want me dead… not arrested, dead… even if I gave myself in, I wouldn’t make it out of the holding cells alive… I… I killed her… I didn’t want to do it… I promise.”

The pig officer just smirked, “You probably loved the taste of bunny, you filthy pelt…hey what the…” the pig officer was slapped back against the staircase by the hulking old ram sergeant.

“Shut up Yorks, I know this fox. He’s been scrounging for Big for years but he has never done a job that was actually convictable as illegal.” The ram put a hoof up to one of the sharpened metal caps he kept on his horns. Adding anything to make horns deadlier or claws for that matter or even sharpening them outright would get you fired from the ZPD, but out here in the meadowlands when the old ram was obviously not working the right side of the tracks, he did not seem to care about regulations. He took the cap off and gave it a polish then replaced it. “Still, Lutzy, I think we should turn this murdering fox into Precinct One.”

“What?” Nick looked up. “Wait, you made a deal with…”

“Mr Big…” Lutzbeard began to say as well..

“To hell with Big! You don’t owe that old shrew a thing and he is getting too pushy… him and those damn bears. We need a way to get the heat to back down and this will get my mammals back in trust with those boy scouts downtown.”

“Red won’t go along with it.” Lutz said looking at the fox who was now slowly backing up toward the crate with the rug still in his paws.

“Dead foxes can’t talk.” The large ram said stepping forward one more time just a few steps from Nick. Doug moving up too, with his Night Howler sniper rifle in his hoof.

Back in the Hospital:

If a grey and silver rabbit could turn all white from the blood draining from her ears and face Judy Hopps was doing her best right now as she looked up at her chief, keeping her phone pressed to her ear, “They’re going to kill him, they’re going to kill Nick!”

The Chief remained stoic as he tried his radio one more time, [Alpha 1-5, This is Bogo..]

[5-2, Chief, bit in a shit show here, whatcha need?] came the voice of Sergeant Chompsy

Bogo stepped into the hall to get out of earshot of Judy, not letting on that he had made contact with either of his wolf officers. Some days leadership was not worth a year’s salary as Bogo pictured the street-wise tod that had helped saved Zootopia then wished he had never put his muzzle to memory. [5-2, this is a direct order, the mission is the chemist, Ramses above all else… do I make myself clear.]

[5-2, to central, say again… your last was garbled]

[5-1, don’t give me that ruttin’ crap, get that Ram and get out…]

[…] static.

_**Back in the Meadowlands warehouse:** _

Wolfard looked back at Chompsy and pulled his earpiece, “Radio reception sucks huh.”

“Sure does boss. Thought I heard somthin’ about protecting civilians first.”

“Yep, yep… that’s what we do at the ZPD, isn’t that what Hopps always says… Okay Wilde, what’s the plan going through that sly head of yours, fox?”

Nick suddenly herd his pocket start to speak and realized that had never he the phone call off. ‘ _That rabbit was going to kill him if he lived to ask her forgiveness… damn Wilde what have you put her through now?’_ The fox’s hearing was probably as good as the bunny’s after all. To the other mammals around the large warehouse that were moving in on him, it probably sounded like a muffled garbled buzz but Nick could make out her words…

“…Nick, please, listen, you need to fight for your life. Don’t make me lose my best friend, you stupid selfish fox. I know I told you to make the world a better place, but Nick without you in my… my world, it…it will be… just get your tail back here so you can be my partner, you stupid stubborn brave fox… please…”

Nick’s heart had never been touched like that before… well not since he had left home at the age of twelve. No one had ever said they needed the fox… as a friend. Damn that emotional bunny. Nick held up a paw toward the approaching sheep with the rug still in his grasp. With his now free paw he grabbed the phone and held it up into the air, waiving it so the sheep could see, “I have to take this, it’s my boss.”

The thought of Mr. Big being on the phone right now with the fox cause all the sheep to stand their ground and pause with confusion. None of them wanted to oppose the mob leader outright so out of survival instinct they all just let the fox take the call as if they had no idea what else to do. If they only knew it was the bunny that was supposed to be dead, well they might have been even more confused.

_**Back in the Hospital:** _

Bogo started to step back into Judy’s room and was about decapitated by a food tray hitting the door jamb just above his head. The eyes from the doe on the phone said _‘bother me now at the risk of your own life!’_ as she desperately pleaded with the fox. _‘Could her hearing be that good. I may have just made a permanent enemy of one of my best officers, but she has to know, we have to save the mammals that have gone savage over the life of one fo… of one mammal.’_ The Chief put a paw to his forehead. “Clawhouser, find out what units, ground, air and water, we can get to the Meadowlands shipyards right now! Everything we have available, but no Meadowlands units, understood.”

The Cheetah jumped off the bed and saluted the chief, “Yes Chief, I’m on it.” The cheetah ran out of the room with his portable radio to his mouth, codes rolling off his tongue like an auctioneer.

Judy gave a small reprieve with her eyes but then turned away from the bull she once looked to as a mentor as she continued her plea for her fox, “…Nick, please, listen, you need to fight for your life. Don’t make me lose my best friend, you stupid selfish fox. I know I told you to make the world a better place but Nick without you in my… my world, it…it will be… just get your tail back here so you can be my partner, you stupid stubborn brave fox… please…”

_**Back in the Meadowlands warehouse:** _

“Yes sir, Mr. Big, sir… no sir…. No, you don’t need to send Kozlov down here sir, it’s all under control sir. I will ask sir…”

Judy replied, “Nick, wha… oh… “

Nick held the phone to his chest, “Well this is kind of embarrassing… Mr Big has requested a change of plans. Um.. well you see his favorite driver is one of the mammals you apparently shot Mr. Ramses and so Mr. Big is requesting… well demanding you come to fix him?” the fox ended with an embarrassing half smile.

“He wants what… rut that Red…” The ram said looking back and forth to the fox and the other sheep.

“Well, Mr Big kind of thought you would say that so Kozlov, Kevin, and Raymond are coming up the drive now to… well, as he said, collect you. Nick shrugged his shoulders. “I guess that means I don’t get my trip out of here?”

Now the sheep were all looking at one another as if seeing who was actually stepping up to be in charge with three of the most ruthless polar bears in all of Zootopia about to enter their midst. Then the old ram called the fox’s bluff, “You’re ruttin’ pulling a hustle Red. We would have heard from one of our scouts if Big’s enforcers were anywhere near here… and if they are they are going to find a fox rug with those skunk rugs.” The ram pulled his sidearm.

Nick yelled, “Hey DOUG RAMSES!” then threw the rug up in the air in front of him as the officer Ram pulled the trigger. The sound of the gunshot inside the warehouse was deafening but as loud as it was it was off aim as the sheep had fired from the hip and Nick had ducked as soon as he threw the rug into the air.

The bullet hit the crate behind him just above his head. As the rug floated back down a black canister bounced out onto the warehouse floor between all the sheep drawing all their attention for a moment until the old ram yelled, “Grenaaade…”

BAAAAAAANNNNG!!!!!

The concussion of the flashbang stun grenade used both sound, air concussion and bright light, to disorient any possible assailants within ten meters of the explosion. The large steel shipping containers surrounding the area the sheep were standing in helped to increase the intensity of the blast, shattering the glass out of the elevated office windows and the windows in the warehouse doors. All the sheep were down, holding their ears in pain, but for one, the old sergeant who had dove behind the metal stairway.

“Rut, Red, where the hell did you go, you worthless pelt?” he yelled as he tried to see through the settling dust, but the fox was nowhere to be seen.

“Freeze, Greywool, ZPD… drop the weapon now!” Scott Wolfard shouted with a commanding growl from on top of the crate.

“Just give me a reason to shoot you piece of sheep shit.” Said Officer Chompsy from behind Greywool as the wolf pressed the barrel of his sidearm to the back of the ram’s head.

Greywool dropped his pistol with a metallic clatter.

“Wilde, Wilde you okay?” Wolfard shouted looking around, pulling his cuffs to put on the chemist, Doug Ramses. “Wilde, where are you?”

“Ha… that coward of a pelt has fled like the murderous mammal he is. You should have tranqued him while you had the chance Officer Wolfard,” Greywool snarled. “I, I tried to arrest him, I don’t know why you’re cuffing me? I was going to bring the fox in.”

“Sure you were, Metal Horns, you and Ramses, and this gangster Lutzbeard, right?” Chompsy snarled back at the Ram as he began to place a cuff on one hoof. Officer York, who was behind Lutzbeard when the flashbang went off had dove back against the heavy fork-truck. He was also wearing his tactical vest under his shirt, making him look stouter than he was. Though he was a bit shorter than the wolves, he was actually in very good shape and other than being temporary blinded by the flash and with a slight ringing in his ears he was quickly regaining all his faculties. He did not consider himself a corrupt cop and though he did not care for the brutal tactics of his senior officer, Greywool, he hated most predators, especially wolves. Hearing the leaked reports that ZPD officers were involved in the conspiracy to make predators go savage, he had approached his partner who quickly spun a tail of the corrupt force within the ZPD of predators who were actually trying to cause such strife in the city that they could remove all prey authority and declare martial law under the ZPD. York did not believe Chief Bogo would ever go along with such a travesty but Greywool convinced the young cop that no mammal is above being bought and that included leaders like Chief Bogo and Mayor Lionheart.

The young officer slowly got up behind the semiconscious goat Lutzbeard and tried to make sense of two wolves with ZPD SWAT tactical vest, arresting his senior officer and the ram Doug Ramses. Where was the fox and where were the polar bear enforcers of Mr. Big that were threatened to be here? Nothing was making sense in his mind. Greywool had convinced him that they had managed to work their way into Lutzbeard’s trust by hiding in plain sight—pretending to be on the goat’s payroll… or was it his senior officer that was lying? He reached for both his radio and his sidearm but was stagnated with the confusion of this inexperience and his desire to do the right thing as a ZPD officer, for the citizens of the Meadowlands and his partner.

His radio came to life before he turned it down [All units…]

The pig took a shaky step out of the shadow of the fork-truck, rapidly blinking to get his eyesight back. He held his sidearm with two shaking hoofs and said with as much authority as his insecurity about the situation would allow. “ZPD! Everyone just don’t move!

Officer Wolfard and Officer Kowolfski both looked sideways at the pig in that typical canine way as Officer Greywool used the distraction to instinctively flex his wrist so to make the muscle expand to his hoof, before Chompsy could click the steel cuff down on them.

“Did they not teach you to read in the academy patrol-mammal? What do you think ZPD SWAT stands for?” Wolfard asked the confused looking pig officer.

“York’s, don’t listen to the lying wolf… he is one of the ones I told you about. Those wolves are trying to kill us all…” Greywool began to spit out.

Chompsy pushed the Ram’s head down, “Shut up you… you are no longer worthy of calling yourself a cop…”

“Sar…rge… what is happening. I… I know that wolf.” Yorks gestured at Wolfard with his sidearm, “He is the SWAT Special Commander and a former Ranger and one of the most highly spoke of mammals at the ZPA by Major Friedkin. He trained our breaching class…”

“Yorks! Don’t be fooled by their conniving ability to pretend to be your friend… it’s how they draw you in for the kill. And… that polar bear at the ZPA is no different than the rest of them… since she’s been there almost no prey get through.” That was a lie, though more predators did apply of the ZPD then prey proportionally because of their basic nature to be more aggressive and instinctive hunters, the courses at the ZPD were designed to push the limits of each mammal and test their abilities—predator or prey. “If not for our efforts to stop this madness they would have enslaved all prey by now.”

“You know he’s crazy right.” Chompsy said to the pig. “He was just about to kill that fox right in front of you remember? Have we come out gun’s blazing or threatened to kill anyone, officer?”

Doug and Lutzbeard where now recovering from their stunned state to see the stand-off before them. Rockhorn was a bit worse for wear as he had hit his head on the heavy steel body of the fork-truck while diving from the stun-grenade blast.

Wolfard realized they needed to end this stand-off now before they would be looking at several mammals ready to take them on. “York’s, I need to get that ram to the ZPD,” pointing to Doug, “he is the chemist that created the toxin making the mammals savage.” Wolfard purposely did not say “predators savage, “and he is the one who can create an antidote. If you have been here… I don’t know why, in some undercover capacity maybe… we will figure it out later, then you should know this. He has one of the toxin pellet rifles with him after all. So, do the right thing and help us bring him in and save a lot of mammals’ lives… okay officer?”

**_Back at the Hospital just moments before:_ **

Judy had her phone pressed against an ear, her tearful eyes looking out the window as if in some way she could see all the way to the Meadowlands. “Ben, radio, send in the cavalry now…ALL UNITS”

“Judy, they won’t respond. They’ll help Nick. You shouldn’t listen, hun…” the cheetah tried to convince the distraught doe. He had no idea what was happening now even though he was listening to his radio through his earpiece. Both Sergeant Kowolfski and Sergeant Wolfard had called for the channel to stay clear so they could leave their mics open and the dispatch center could record everything their radio’s picked up from that point for evidence. Ben was not going to let Judy know as he was afraid that they would hear the fox being murdered. He was about to try and gently pull the phone down from Judy’s ear when both a loud bang pierced his own earpiece causing him to pull it from his ear in pain. At that same moment the rabbit jolted away from the phone, dropping it on the bed, grasping her ears in pain as well.

Judy lost it at that point, her sensitive ears and the breaking point of her fear had reached a crescendo of absolute desperation. She folded in on herself, both paws clutching her ears to her head, “They killed, him… oh my god, they killed him!”

The Chief came running back into the room along with a raccoon nurse who was working the day shift in the secure wing. She immediately ran to the side of the bed where a large stool had been placed as the bed was tiger size and stepped up so she could hug the distraught rabbit. Ben was struggling to listen to the radio with his good ear. As he did he gestured for the Chief to turn his radio on as well. “Judy, Judy… listen Judy, Nick is not dead.” Ben struggled to explain it to her, “It was a flashbang grenade thrown by officer Kowolfski. Nick escaped… they did not get him…”

Bogo looked at Ben as he listened to the open network… and mouthed to the cheetah, _“…where did the fox go?”_

Ben just shrugged as he tried to calm the small bunny officer next to him down. The raccoon nurse was gentle and motherly as she tenderly stroked Judy’s ears, getting the doe to release them. She used her otoscope to look into Judy’s ears, “there, there sweetheart, looks like no damage was done. Oh, my girl you are shaking. Come on now, I know foxes my dear and they are a resourceful bunch and from what I’ve been told of the Mr. Wilde, I think he probably is a master trickster… oh them tods… you find a good one to hold onto and they will make you crazy, but you will love them for it.”

Judy suddenly stopped shaking and looked up at the young raccoon nurse. She was quite stunning for her age. As their eye’s met, the raccoon whispered, “Hello miss Hopps, my name is Gloria, and yes I love a fox as well… You may have met him, I believe… he is in the ZFD. His name is Reggie.”

“He… he’s a paramedic…”

“Yes, yes that’s him… oh he is a rascal that one.” Gloria’s eyes blinked and gave a bashful look… “and romantic too…hummm. He’s a bit younger than me and for heaven’s sake I feel lucky to have him as my mate…”

“Your mate… a fox?” Gloria answered with a no. Judy shook her head though, “N…Nick is just a f… friend, only a friend… he’s a fox and I’m a bunny…”

“Oh girl, love doesn’t care about such things.”

“Judy, Judy did you hear me, Nick escaped…” Ben said.

“Where is he?”

“No one knows?” Ben shrugged as he kept a paw over the earpiece now in his other ear. “Sergeant Wolfard and Sargent Kowolfski have Doug Ramses and several other assailants at gun point. But Mr. Wilde is gone.”

“Clawhouser, did you find units for back up?”

“Oh, yes, yes chief. We have two units that have been cleared from the Highlands Forrest, Precinct 24.. about 5 minutes out code three sir…uh my cousin is with them Chief.”

“Marybeth… oh yes, good officer, … so, she trusts her partner and the others as well?”

“Yes sir chief.”

The Chief snorted an approval then stormed out, “Rhinowitz, is that chopper at the hospital pad yet?”

“Nick, you stupid lying fox, where did you go?” Judy cried quietly to herself as she leaned into the arms of the raccoon.

_**Back in the Meadowlands warehouse:** _

“Carrots…, Judy, I don’t know if you can hear me…I, I can’t hear anything, my ears are ringing so bad…” came the whispered words of her reynard friend over the phone. If not for her excellent hearing, his words would almost have been unnoticed She broke free from the motherly racoon and pushed the phone to her head with both paws.

“Nick! Nick! Where are…”

“…I am hiding in a crate of skunk butt rugs right now… I know that should be ironic, yes you will… but listen little bunny, I don’t have much time because this fox has to get off this phone and… well what does my bun-bun say… ‘make the world a better place’. …where is super bunny when I need her… got to go…”

“Nick, wait..”

Judy, I just want to say… I lo… uh, well that is, I… I got to go.” Nick hit the end call button and just starred at the glow of the phone in the dark confines of the crate’s secret hiding compartment. As if he could see through the silent glow somehow, Just to see her one more time, the first real true friend other than Finnick he had made in his entire life. And the first mammal that did not see him as a sly shifty fox and believed in him, trusted him, risked her life for him… and his heart was breaking, but… she was a rabbit… a dumb country bunny… and nothing more… _Everything more!_ He couldn’t do that to her though, say that to her though… because it couldn’t be true and saying something like that to her would just be… a lie? …cruel? … painful? _‘Nick, you don’t have time to think about what can never be… Fin, lil’ buddy, I hope you still keep that burner phone?’_ Nick looked through the contact list on Fin’s phone and found what he needed… <Mom> … Fin was an orphan and never knew his mother. Every time he got a new burner phone he programmed it to the contact <Mom> on his regular phone. Nick hit the contact speed dial still thinking of Judy, a pain shot through his chest as he tried to shake the thought away.

“Ruttin’ hell Wilde, what you get me into, more damn sheep cops out here than a ruttin’ hey eaten’ coffee shop.”

Nick had to whisper, “Quiet Fin, I found what I came for and will be ready to leave in 30 seconds with a little help from my friend. Did you take care of the exit.”

“I aren’t know stupid sheep Wilde, just get ready to move. Stay clear of that door.”

Nick shut the phone of and closed his eyes trying to make a mental picture of what was happening out side of the box using his other senses—tuning his hearing and smell to what was around him. The fox was not a coward but he was not into heroics either. He learned long ago, you just don’t live long being a hero fox in a world that doesn’t trust foxes. He was a good street fighter as his life necessitated it but that was always a last resort. Even in the best case the chances of getting injured when facing other teeth and claws was always high. He would rather face guns or knives in most cases, using his wits and ability of misdirection to escape and evade. Claw and bite wounds where nasty and usually left scars, some more than physical… and he had his share of both.

Nick’s ears perked up as he heard the tense discussion between the rams, wolves and now confused pig officer just feet from him. It was now or never. He was not a fan of weapons, though he had learned to use tranque pistols and rifles. In his paw he held one of Finnick’s little homemade smoke bombs. Part of the process of the skunkbutt rugs. Grinding the fir and mixing it with some other chemicals such as sulfur and magnesium, Fin had created little smoke bombs that worked much like the police flash bangs…design to disorient and help cover. The foxes used these, not to enter a room bye force, but to escape. Especially against predators. The magnesium would burn extremely bright, blinding the night vision mammals and the smoke was dense, black, extremely smelly, and if breathed in could be quite discomforting to the senses of many mammals in general but not permanently harmful.

Nick concentrated on the sounds and smell. His mind made a mental image of the mammals around the room and their state of emotions. Tensions were high… he could smell predator and prey… fear, anger, confusion… he had to act…

“Yorks! Don’t believe these pelts, wolves are vicious liars and if they had their way we’d all be in cages waiting to be processed for lunch!” Greywool spat out, diverting the attention of the two wolves onto the nervous young pig officer who held his lethal side arm in shaky hoof. The veteran ram officer moved his shoulder as if he were completely secured by Officer Kowolfski’s cuffs as he turned slightly away from the wolf so he could face the pig. He took two steps forward pulling against the wolf’s paw on his arm. Lutzbeard, the billy-goat, still a bit disoriented from the flashbang, and sitting on the warehouse floor, as Wolfard had commanded him not to move, was just in between officer Yorks and Greywool’s next step. The ram took another step before Chompsy tried to restrain him, but it was enough to allow him to pretend to stumble on the goat’s legs and twist down to the floor, pulling out of the wolf’s grasp. Sheep were always hard to search for weapons if they had not had their wool coats sheered but Chompsy was a veteran and had checked the ram thoroughly with extended claws, being careful not to scratch into the sheep’s skin. Still with only two officers, you could only be so thorough and Gerywool had spent years learning how to hide weapons inside his thick coat.

“Sarge, I just don’t think the wolves are lying, I’m sorry, it just doesn’t make sense… none of this does, they could have just killed us and taken Doug. I… I’m going to call the Captain…” the pig began to pull his radio from his belt, still keeping his sidearm on both the wolves and the rams and goat.

Greywool relaxed the muscles in his forearms, allowing one hoof to slide out of the cuffs. He noticed Rockhorn was also ready to make his move as he stepped back regaining his balance against the fork-truck. Greywool signaled the ram with a twerk of his horned head and Rockhorn made his play—picking up the crowbar and throwing it spiraling towards Officer Wolfard’s head.

“Boss down!” Chompsy yelled, then fired his tranque pistol at the assaulting ram, hitting him twice harmlessly in the Ram’s dense wool, but connecting once in his muzzle. The single tranque dart was enough to quickly disorient the large ram as he fell backward against the fork-truck, grabbing at his stinging nose, trying to remove the small barbed dart, but the fast-acting drug had already done its job.

Scott Wolfard had rolled and dove just in time to have the crowbar miss his head. The claw end of the heavy metal bar managed to catch his upper arm, ripping into fur, flesh and muscle before clangingto the concrete floor with some of Wolfard’s bloody fur. As the wolf officer instinctively grabbed his injured arm with his free paw, he tried to bring his tranque pistol back up to face the rams.

Just as Chompsy turned to fire a dart at Doug Ramses, who was now trying to scurry to his knees, the loud bang of a small lethal sidearm deafened him, being fire so close to his head he could feel the muzzle blast burn one ear. “Just drop the weapon pelt!” Greywool demanded, steadying the smoking pistol against the wolf’s head between his eye and his ear. 

“Sergeant, drop that weapon now.” Officer Yorks demanded of his senior partner. Even if the wolves were corrupt, you do not put a gun to an alleged criminal’s head or fire a weapon next to his ear. In York’s eyes it was becoming clear that his former mentor was the corrupt cop after all. This was not a scenario the young officer had ever imagined himself in and he was obviously stressed to the point of breaking, but even with shaky hooves he was not going to back down, “Officer Greywool, put down your weapon and step back from Officer Kowolfski right now. With his attention focused on keeping his gun steady on the most immediate threat while trying to bring his radio up, he did not see the kick from Doug Ramses, still on the floor, into his right shin, causing him to lose balance and fall sideways toward Rockhorn. The pigs officer fell against the ram’s horns, knocking himself out as the his gun went skidding across the concrete floor right into the waiting hoof of Doug. Ramses grabbed the pistol and pointed it at Officer Wolfard.

“Lutzbeard open that shipping container behind you. We will see if savage wolves like pig meat. By the time their boss Bogo finds them, they will be another reason to muzzle all these pelts” Greywool pushed the barrel of his gun into Chompsy’s head forcing the wolf forward, “Move pelt, or take a bullet in the scull.”

Nick had snuck around behind the fork-truck and readied himself to pounce. He hit the striker on the smoke bomb and rolled it under the truck toward Greywool. The small homemade ball of burning sulfur and magnesium made a hissing sound as the flame lit the main smoking components. All the mammals looked at the novelty size device as it rolled to Gerywool’s hind hooves, the ram trying to keep an eye on the wolf and the obvious attempt to distract him. Almost immediately the stench was stinging all their noses so the large ram lifted a hoof to stamp the small device out—then it exploded! 

A blinding flash of white hot magnesium temporarily blinded all who had their eyes on the burning sphere as small chards of non-lethal but stinging and burning pieces of hot flack hit everyone within a few yards in the legs, causing mostly the sheep, who wore short pants for the Meadowlands climate, to bleat out sharply in pain, as they slapped blindly at the burning magnesium embers sticking to their wool. Both the wolf officers had heavier ZPD slacks, designed for abuse with built in knee pads. Though some of the shards hit Chompsy’s tail and Wolfard’s ears and arms as he was still on the ground, the SWAT officer training made them close their eyes before the bright blast. Though their noses and ears were assaulted from the small device they, were hardly disoriented.

A second after the small cherry bomb size explosive went off, the fox went on the assault with all the viciousness his primal instincts could provide. Moving on all fours, he grabbed the seat of the fork-truck, propelling himself up and forward above the crowd toward Greywool. Foxes were amazing leapers and Nick was no exception—propelling himself first with his front paws then his hind paws, with the added height of the fork-truck, he leapt onto Doug, using the Ram’s head like a post to leap toward the other ram. The impact of clawed fox paws onto the sides of Doug’s head spun him backward, the pistol skidding under the fork-truck. Doug landed in a sitting position against the truck, his hooves held up to the now bloody and painful sides of his head.

Greywool was not going to take an attack he saw coming without a fight, as he wildly fired his lethal sidearm at shoulder height in a four-meter round arc—the last round fired, just before the fox hit him with claws extended directly in the chest at full force. The ram was nocked backward against the metal staircase with a painful crash, his sidearm skidding across the concrete floor behind him. Nick landed in a roll with a loud vestigial vulpine scream. Though not a deep growl the high pitch barking yelps were justifiably terrifying to the sheep as they understood it meant one very pissed off fox.

Chompsy had jumped away from the ram and fox rolling onto his side with his weapon pointing at the pair. Wolfard jumped up grabbing Doug’s toxin sniper rifle at the same time Doug reached for it. The ram, who was not sure he was probably in the fight of his life, forgot about his head wounds and battled the smaller wolf for the weapon. Rockhorn, who was barely conscious, had retrieved the pig’s pistol. Trying to adjust his partially blinded eyes so he could aim Yorks’ weapon at the back of the wolf fighting with Doug, he had to reached his other hoof up to steady the weapon not designed for his use and looked for an opportunity to shoot as the two mammals that spun around one another. 

Nick was now pouncing in long strides toward the fighting pair, but with a noticeable limp, and just before the ram fired a shot, Wolfard and Doug were hit broadside by the fox pouncing at full force. A loud yelp was herd instantly after the shot as all three mammals went to the ground and Doug’s rifle skidded out of reach. Just as Rockhorn turned to aim at the other wolf, the large metal door smashed off its lower mooring as Fiinick’s green van came plowing through backwards—the metal door peeling up over the roof of the van taking paint and shattering a rear window with it. Rockhorn was thrown a good ten meters with probable broken legs or hip as the ram rolled away like a rag doll landing in a screaming fit of agony even in his partially tranquilized state.

The van skidded to a stop, half in—half out of the warehouse as the rear doors burst open with a small tan fox that appeared more teeth than fur, holding a Zooeyville Slugger bat as tall as him swinging it with the grace of a ninja. The fennec looked around as if looking for a victim to pummel into a tender ball of bloody flesh. “Seriously Wilde? It’s a damn cotton-fuzz convention out there.” The fennec jumped down and swung the bat right over Doug Ramses’ head. “Move again, grass muncher and I’ll see if your head is as hard as my bat!” the small fox growled at the sheep, tapping him on both horns with the bat.

“Late as always lil’ brother, ruttin’ hell…” Nick winced as he stood up holding a bloody bicep. He looked at the flesh-wound that was dampening his fur with blood, “Damn, that hurts.” He limped as he stepped forward, “Rut me, I’ve got shot in my ass as well.” Then he picked up his bloody tail like a precious blankey and held it to his chest, “You’re okay beautiful, just a flesh wound, the blood will wash out.”

“Wilde, are you ruttin’ talking to your tail again… let’s get out of here you stupid fox!” Fin yelled.

“Where the hell did you go Wilde?” Wolfard said as he began to cuff Doug Ramses.

“No time for cheerful reunions… just load the ram in the back. We have to go now!” Nick practically tossed his fennec partner back into the van as he waved the two wolves in with the cuffed ram Doug. Chompsy backed in and sat on the open rear of the van so he could cover the other ram and goat. Just as they had Doug stepping up in the rear of the van two more sheep in Meadowland MZPD uniforms came stomping through the warehouse, guns drawn.

“There they are…” yelled one as they both opened fired—rounds ricocheting of the sides and open doors of the van. Chompsy returned fire, putting one down mid stride as the other dove behind a shipping container. Wolfard grabbed his partner’s shoulder to hold him as the van spun its tires in an attempt to force its way out of the metal door laying on the roof. Before the van could clear the doors and the two wolves could shut the rear van doors, the ram Greywool, rolled back out onto the warehouse floor—grabbing Doug’s sniper riffle and firing one shot into the van. As Wolfard closed the last door, a blue pellet exploded on Wolfard’s paw just as he pulled the back door of the van closed.

“Go, go, go, go… Nick was yelling to the fennec. Then he turned around to see the look in Wolfard’s eyes and chaos about to erupt in the back of the van…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I move deeper into this story I plan on updating tags and and gt deeper into my notes. I fine it is always so lae when I post a chapter. The next one may be a bit (not too long) And do not worry ... we will get back to our Hopps mystery sister soon enough. 
> 
> The bigger question now is we have a van full of escaping foxes and wolves with one terrorist sheep running from who knows how many corrupt cops...oh and to make matters worse... one of the toughest wolves in the ZPD is about to go savage in the van.
> 
> Comments, critiques or just a "What gives, I'm totally lost... are always welcome".........I need feed back mammals, the good, the bad, the ugly... pandemic has given me cabin fever so much I need to know the outside world still exist!
> 
> Chapter 8 will be posted this week-end


	8. Crazy Like A Fox: Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two foxes, two wolves (one going savage) one terrorist ram, all trapped in a van being chased by crooked cops and the Meadowlands mob. Fox bites wolf — wolf bites fox — wolf wants to eat ram — wolf wants to shoot ram — fox wants wolf to shoot wolf and himself — little fox wants to bite all their faces off... "We having fun yet?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Doing my best to eliminate typos but I am author, editor, and worst of all the poor sap that has to type it all up. 
> 
> Note: [Brackets] Radio dialog

**Chapter 8**

# Crazy Like a Fox, Part 4

Shortly after Nick had hung up the phone Judy had punched the unlock code into her radio so she could monitor the open frequency that Officer Wolfard and Kowolfski had order the channel left open. This was done so all other units could monitor the situation from the units on scene as well as receive any orders from the SWAT Sergeant without having to key his mic. It was quite obvious though that all hell had gone wrong and the channel was now buzzing with the calls of units rushing to the scene. Then the absolute worse words came across the radio, [Z-777, Alpha 5-1 is hit, repeat Alpha 5-1!] came the urgent but disciplined voice of Sergeant Kowolfski. [Have medics on stand…] then the communications went offline.

Judy broke the clear channel rule and keyed the mic, [Nick, Nii…ck, anyone? Help them! Please!] , “What is a Z-777, that’s savage mammal isn’t it but—”

Ben looked up from his system, “Z-777 is officer hit with Night Howler.” [All Units, tranquilizer set for a wolf. Alpha 5-1 hit with NH, ZFD Central we will need med trauma support for possible savage attack].

Ben may be one of the highest strung and least in shape officers in the ZPD but when the radios came alive he was the best damned incident dispatcher on the entire force.

[Bravo 2-6, five minutes out… ] came the voice of officer Mchorn as he steadfastly focused through the thick bullet proof glass of the 8-wheeled heavy armored SWAT command truck rumbling down the service road that parallel the miles of shipping docks and warehouses.

The Chief looked at the frantic rabbit officer whom the city now owed so much and gestured for Ben to hand him the mic on the command radio the cheetah was carrying. [Bravo 2-6, Bogo here… take whatever steps necessary to ensure the safety of the two civilian foxes and our officers. Bogo out.]

[Copy Chief] came the gritty deep reply.

Before he handed it back to Ben he yelled back into the radio, [This is Alpha 1 actual, where is my damned chopper]

[Air Bravo 2 on final to ZGH now]

“Move it Clawhouser”

**_Back in Finnick’s van:_ **

Wolfard fell back onto his tail as his other paw held the wrist of the paw covered in blue stained liquid that was causing the wolf officer to let out a warning cry through gritted teeth. Nick was not sure if it was due to pain or the realization that Wolfard knew he had been hit by the toxin that would cause him to go savage.

“Oh son of a…” Nick had been around cops enough, though maybe not on the right side of the law, to know how most of them were equipped; he reached into Wolfard’s hip cargo pocket to find his trauma kit. Within the small wrapped pack was a tourniquet just as the fox had hoped. Nick then ripped off Wolfard’s tactical wrist raps, similar to those that Judy would wear to protect her wrist and paw pads but still leave the fingers of the paw exposed. Nick hoped that most the toxin had not penetrated the small garment though the nature of the pellet made the poison leach through fur and most fabrics to the skin below. The tactical gear was designs to protect against various liquids, caustic and flammable so it may have been impervious to the toxin. Nick could see that some blue remained on the officer’s forepaw and it was having its vile affect.

Nick pushed Wolfard against the side of the van, “Lift your arms up so I can get your vest off.” The wolf did as request with ever-growing fear in his eyes. Nick ripped the Velcro straps from the tactical vest throwing the heavy garment aside. He fitted the tourniquet around Worlfard’s armpit and synched it down until the veteran SWAT officer gave out a yipe. The wolf’s pupils had already begun to go wide into a glassy stare and his breathing had become heavy. “Sorry Wolfy but this may be a long shot and it may hurt…” the wolf no longer seamed to recognize Nick’s voice as he began to thrash his muzzle back and forth. Nick moved behind the wolf to put an arm above and below the wolf’s muzzle and away from the now snarling canines then in a quick motion bit as hard as he could down onto the upper arm that was hit by the Night howler pellet. Nick could taste the salty copper taste of the wolfs blood as his teeth punctured deep into muscle tissue. At that point he released the bite to let the blood flow down the wolfs arm. Nick turned away from the wolf to spit out the blood and fur in his mouth and said into the wolf’s ear, “forgive me Wolfard.” But Wolfard was already bent over in a spasm of pain; eyes rolled back as his jaws clenched in a snarl, shaking his head back and forth trying to rid himself of the creature on his back. The savage wolf shoved officer Chompsy hard against the side of the van, smashing Chompsy’s radio in the process. Nick held tight onto the wolf’s back, keeping his muzzle in an armbar and wrapping his legs around the wolf’s upper body.

“I’ve got him, Ramsey’s been shot… you need to check on—”

“Let the sheep bleed out!” Chompsy began to snap.

“He’s the only one who has the antidote, you stupid jarhead wolf. If he dies your boss may be savage for good!” Nick yelled. “Fin, get us out of here now!”

The engine of the van came roaring to life as the fennec added power, the rear tires began to smoke as the metal shipping doors folded against the roof with an angry metallic screeching of tearing sheet metal. More rounds, both lead and Night Howler impacted the vans back doors, creating an abstract art of blue splats and holes in the outer door skin and splintered glass of the rear bullet resistant windows. As Fin’s van was always design for getaways from nastier mammals than police, though usually not corrupt sheep cops, the inner door structure had heavy steel plate, was able to resist even heavy caliber impact or rhino horn hits, though inside the now cramped space with one ram screaming for his life, two wolves (one going savage while a fox tries to hold him down), plus the noise of the rounds hitting the doors, it was extremely terrifying. Each impact caused the coherent mammals to flinch, except for the small dessert fox who kept his foot on the accelerator and his angry fangs seething into the rear-view mirror at the mammals shooting apart his rear doors. “If I ever catch those rutt’n sheep off duty, they getting sheered for sure!”

With one final screech of metal and burnt rubber, the van freed itself from the wreckage of the loading bay doors and in a dust cloud and metal on metal sparks, then fishtailed away from the warehouse toward the large cargo crane where two Meadowlands ZPD cruisers still remained parked in the shade. In the back of the van Nick and Wolfard had rolled to the right with the turn, allowing the fox to get one arm over and one arm under the savage wolf’s muzzle and both legs around his waist. Nick put one hind paw against the support of the side door forcing himself and the wolf against the back of the front passenger seat so Wolfard’s paws all were up in the air an unable to gain a foothold. In the wolf’s savage state, he could not make sense of the powerful chokehold the fox had on him or how to get out of it as his cop training was trapped in his rational mind—blocked out by the primitive savagery of a primal wolf needing to escape, to hunt, to eat…

Chompsy had pulled his tourniquet from his hip pocket and was wrapping it over the ram’s upper arm near his shoulder to stop the bleeding. He was not sure if the sheep was screaming from the bullet wound or the terror of the savage wolf with hunger in his predator eyes just a few paws lengths away.

“F… Fin…. Did you take care of the cruisers?” Nick shouted to his fennec partner while struggling to hold the ever more ferocious wolf.

“You just hold that crazed copper Red—it’s under control.” Fin said as he pressed a button on his burner phone. The four sheep standing around the MZPD cruisers under the massive cargo crane drew their lethal sidearms and opened fired on the rapidly approaching van. Suddenly, the sound of mechanical latches being opened with the snap of cables releasing their massive loads, caught the attention of the sheep. They looked up in time to decide it was better to dive away from their doomed cruisers rather than worry about the speeding van with a cursing fox, as a loaded steel cargo container crushed both vehicles into the concrete below—blowing out glass and exploding tires.

Though the immediate threat outside had been eliminated, inside it was complete and utter chaos. The Night Howler toxin had taken effect on officer Wolfard, as the now primal savage wolf struggled to break his chokehold from the fox. Chompsy had managed to stop the bleeding of the gunshot wound in Doug Ramsey’s arm but the ram was still in a wild panic, terrified of the savage wolf just on the other side of the small van. Both officers’ radios had been smashed and the group had no idea if back up was on the way. They also could not head to any hospital in the Meadowlands as they did not know how many more of those turncoat cops were closing in on them. Lutzbeard, the closest thing to the head of a Meadowlands mob, also had a few dozen hired thugs that the mountain goat was probably alerting right now.

“Fin! Head toward the 394-service road. The m…maintenance tunnel.” Nick barked as the wolf continued to lash all four paws in the air, trying to get a grasp with his claws on whatever it was that was holding him down by his throat.

“Rut, the gate is closed… hold on, this is going to hurt!” Fin shouted as he gave the van every bit of power, then turning off the drive toward the tall chain link fence as it was weaker there then the heavy gate with its steal bar frame. The fence was much taller than the van but the impact was still forceful as the speeding vehicle was suddenly wrapped in chain link fence almost bringing it to a stop. Fin turned hard left, tearing through the now shredded fence. The metal netting acting like a giant predator claw as it slid painfully off the front of the van, ripping the front bumper, right side mirror and parts of the grille with it; shattering the windshield and tearing back shards of metal from the roof and around the hood in jagged edges. 

“The fuzz is going to pay for the body work to my baby…”

With the force of the impact into the fence and the hard-left turn, the savage wolf was able to twist out of Nick’s grip and get his claws dug into the fabric back of the front seat. Ripping down, the wolf twisted lifting Nick up and onto his back “Rut your van, you stupid fox, just get us on the highway!” Nick yelled at the fennec as he twisted with the roll pulling the wolf onto his side behind Fin’s seat. Wolfard flaying his paws, trying to get a grasp of anything that would get him free of the fox holding him around the throat, bit down on the edge of the driver’s seat, ripping out fabric and stuffing. For once the fennec thanked the Creator he was small as he had a child’s booster belted to the front seat so he could see over the dash of the van, meant the wolfs bite was short of its mark. The van had been fitted for a disabled wolf driver that used a wheel chair at one time, thus the brake and accelerator where all now paw operated controls mounted on the steering column. It was perfect for the small desert fox as he was able to drive the larger vehicle. From the outside, other mammals did not realize he was just, as Nick would say, ‘Bite Size — all the flavor of a fox in one third the body’. So as the savage wolf tore away the driver’s seat the fennec looked down to see his leg was still intact.

“Get the chomper under control before I start biting back Wilde!”

Chompsy had finished bandaging the rams wound and had given him a shot of morphine from the medkit. The Rams pain had dropped but his loss of blood and fear of the savage wolf just a heartbeat way had kept the ram in a panic state. Doug had pushed himself hard against the back doors of the van. He was not going to escape though as Chompsy had him pawcuffed to a metal wall frame rail on the inside.

The wolf pulled his tranque pistol and aimed it at his partner and apologized, “Sorry to do this boss…”

“WAIT!” Nick shouted as he fought against the savage wolf, “Not yet… first, Ramsey, where is the antidote?”

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about fox?” The ram said, pushing his body farther away from the savage wolf as if that where possible.

Wolfard broke free of Nick’s armbar enough to snap his jaws onto the fox’s upper right leg and lock down. “Aaarrrrgggg! Ruttin’ hell… get him off of me Chompsy.”

Chompsy jumped onto Wolfard back and tried to pull him off, “Shit Nick, he’s locked his jaws down, if I rip him off he will shred your leg.”

“F…Fin, pull over, if this damn sheep won’t give… aaarg… up the anti….dote then rut him. Let the wolf have him instead of my leg.”

The eyes of Doug Ramsey shot open as he started to pull wildly against his cuff. After the van skidded to a stop, the ram realized he could not escape and spoke out of sheer terror, “Okay, I… It… its backed up on the cloud… I’ll… I’ll give it up… just keep that rutting wolf away from me… oh god… please.

“No… give the info to Sergeant Kow…owlfski…rut… now!” Nick did his best to tighten his grip against the wolf that was sinking his razor sharp canines deeper into his upper thigh. Chompsy unlocked his phone and hit the autodial for the precinct emergency line — officers only. The line went to a dedicated dispatcher that showed the incoming phones ID and began recording as soon as it picked up. The ram gave the URL address to the cloud storage for the files containing all his R&D on the Night Howler toxin and the antidote he developed at the same time. No good chemical weapons expert developed a toxin without developing the antidote along with it, as that was the best and easiest time to do so. For the ram it was not merely a safety precaution though. It was going to be sold to the highest bidder before some predator crime syndicate developed the cure for themselves, as it would happen eventualy but hopefully not before Bellwether’s plan to subjugate the predators in Zootopia had been successful. The digital storage site was a treasure trove of other information including list of chemical and plant suppliers and involved mammals form citizens to police and political officials. Doug didn’t care though, in his morphine drug state facing death by savage wolf, he just did not want to be ripped apart by canine teeth in what would be a very gruesome and painful death.

Sergeant Kowolfski got on the phone and asked the shocked dispatcher, “You got all that..”

“Yes Sergeant, I am, looking at the site now, the password he gave is good and there are no bugs, the Techs are on-line and downloading as we speak. I think we are all good.”

“Okay, I need a medivac and backup.”

“It is already on the way sir.”

Chompsy gave a thumbs up to Nick and the fox closed his eyes, then with gritted teeth he barely got out, “Tranque this damn wolf, rut-it, tranque us both for god’s sake.”

As Nick finished that sentence he felt the wolf in his grasp already growing limp and the jaws on his leg released. Nick let the wolf out of his grasp and as the sharp canines released his leg, the pain increased tenfold. Nick’s eyes rolled back as he gritted his teeth and he let out a painful growl. “Come on Chomp’s, knock m… me out you damn wolf… auurgh ruttin hell.

“Nick, sorry fox, I can’t tranque you or give you morphine. You’ve lost too much blood buddy… and I just don’t know the dosage for foxes and I can’t chance it anyway. I have to try and stop the bleeding and get you to a hospital. Do you understand.” The last part of his sentence was more for the fennec fox who was out of the driver’s seat and helping to hold Nick’s head, his own paws now bloody from Nick’s shredded leg.

“Goddamn wolves anyway!” Fin said as he got back in the driver’s seat and pulled the van back onto the service road, smoking the tires. “Ruttin’ ZPD, all of you can go to hell…” with that the van smashed hard into the side of something heavy but kept accelerating.

“You’re going to kill us all fox… before we even get to a hospi—” Chompsy began but was cut off when something big hit the side of the van again.

“Tell it to your sheep cops that are trying to drive us off the road!” Fin yelled as he accelerated and swerved.

**~~ **

As soon as Chief Bogo had given the word for back-up to support the two wolves Delgotto and Fangmire had turned their unmarked police SUV’s around and began heading back to the Meadowland’s warehouse dock area. They did not have an exact location and with the miles of giant warehouses along the commercial docs on the northeast channels of the Meadowlands they knew they needed some help from the two wolves to locate them. Fortunately, Air-5, the ZPD search helicopter had only flown over a ridgeline to get out of sight of any unwanted observer and began looking for anything that could help locate their officers. Fin’s distraction, dropping a several-ton loaded cargo container onto two ZPD cruisers, caused enough of a violent disturbance that the observer in the ZPD chopper just said flatly, “got’em” and pointed his search systems at the van speeding from the now smoking cruiser with stunned sheep officers lying on the ground. The pilot banked the chopper to match the direction of the search sensors fed into his helmet display. The video feed from the chopper was keyed into the ZPD dispatch and soon the Chief was looking at the same feed as he sat in the back of a larger helicopter on the hospital pad, spinning its rotors up to takeoff RPMs

A few minutes later the chief could see the van stop for a moment then take back off just as five more Meadowlands ZPD cruisers turned onto the D-359 Inter-district service drive behind them. He watched the road rage battle begin before he barked orders. [Air 5, Alpha 1-1, do what you can to slow down the MZPD units and clear a path for that van.]

[Alpha 1, Brava 2-6, we are paralleling the van and the Meadowlands ZPD units on D-359. No response to stand down from the MZPD]

[Bravo 2-6, you are cleared to take those officers into custody… but McHorn, try not to hurt them until I get to talk to them myself.] the Chief scowled into the radio head set he now wore as he sat in the back of the large helicopter.

[…] A squawk back to confirm was all that was needed. On board with the Chief of the ZPD and some medical personnel. The chief did not want to weigh the chopper down with any other officers, “Clawhouser, I need you to manage all communication from here. Make sure the trauma center is clear for us and that we have backup heading to MZPD headquarters and their dispatch center.” Judy had managed to limp after the chief with Benjamin Clawhouser with two nurses trying to stop her, the Chiefs glare stopped her in her tracks, “We do not need an injured rabbit taking up weight and space we may need in the helicopter.” He looked at her with a commanding stare. “Officer Hopps, we have dedicated officers out there right now risking their lives to get your fox and his friend back safely, I give you my word.” With that the Chief slid the chopper door shut as Ben picked Judy up and carried her away from the pad. With a high-pitched whine of turbojet engines, the chopper lifted up and dipped its nose toward the Meadowlands, becoming a small dot in a few short moments.

“Come on Judy, let’s go back inside. Rhinowhitz is setting up a command center and you are not supposed to be out of the secure wing. Gloria had rushed out with a wheel chair for Judy and the three went back up to the waiting room on the secure wing of the hospital as it looked out over the city toward the Meadowlands and the rear of the hospital where the helipad and secure entrance sat. The stoic giant of a black Rhino rarely showed emotion, but he was always proud of the smallest officer on the force and how she worked so hard to overcome everything put in her path. He set the radio down on the coffee table in front of the bunny and keyed in his security code then turned the large earpieces on his headset so she and the cheetah both could listen. Grabbing a larger chair, he moved it over to the table and sat down with just a glint of a fatherly smile out of the corner of his mouth.

Judy leaned against the big cheetah but looked up at the veteran rhino officer, “Thanks Roary, this means a lot.”

The rhino’s eyes blinked rapidly as his small ears twitched before giving another small smile. Judy knew it was about the best she would get from the large mammal and it was quite a bit. Her ears refocused on the speakers set on the table, waiting for words from the officers involved in backing up Wolfard and Chompsy. It wasn’t long before the low static hum on the open channel was broken.

[Air 5 to Alpha 1-1, we have them on the D-359 service road heading south toward the maintenance tunnel. They stopped for about thirty seconds then took off again but now have five Meadowlands ZPD cruisers right on them and there is a road block about 3 miles ahead with two more units… again no response from MZPD on their normal frequency and their dispatch has gone off line]

[Alpha 1-1 to Alpha 2-15, I show you coming back north on D-359, can you engage the roadblock at the Tunnel Ridge Road on ramp?]

[On it Chief, Fangmire is in 1-5’s Unit and we have Unit 2-36 and 2-25 shadowing.]

[2-36, Affirmative, one minutes out… 2-25 is behind us.]

[Delgato, you and Fang will have to make sure that van gets through that roadblock and up onto the highway until your backup arrives]

[Got it chief, coming up on them now.]

Air-5 dove down in well in front of the van to buzz the top off the two rams, a bison and a zebra all positioned at the roadblock to keep their attention away from the Precinct One officers pulling up on their rear.. It was not known if they were with the cops that were part of Bellwether’s plot or just following bad orders as the radio frequency the MZPD used was being jammed by a mammal purposely squashing the MZPD dispatcher by keeping their mic keyed. Meadowlands dispatch could not be reached by phone or radio either. Bogo had sent officers from the Rain Forest district to investigate but it would take them a good twenty minutes to get there.

Delgato and Fangmire got out of their SUV’s with their carbines. Air-5 did a high-G pedal turn right behind the MZPD officers and came into a hover, then announced their intentions on the helo’s loud speakers, “ZPD PRECINCT ONE, STAND DOWN BY ORDER OF CHIEF BOGO. BACK-UP IS 1 MINUTE OUT AND SWAT HEAVY IS RIGHT BEHIND US. REPEAT, STAND DOWN BY ORDER OF CHIEF BOGO… YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING UNLAWFUL DIRECTIVES AT THIS TIME.”

The four mammals all looked confused until a ram took a combat stance and aimed at the helo. He was taken out by the Zebra officer standing next to him with a perfectly placed high kick to the side of his head before he could get off a shot. After that, the three MZPD officers laid their weapons on the pavement.

“REMOVE THE SPIKE STRIPS AND THEN TEND TO YOUR OFFICER. SWITCH TO CITY-CENTRAL BAND 15-12 FOR CENTRAL DISPATCH.” Came the last orders from the hovering helicopter.

The bison pulled the spike strip out of the way as the van blew through the road block and headed up the ramp at break neck speed. The five following cruisers refused to stop though, even when being waved down by their fellow officers. Two of them having to jump out of the way as the front of their cruiser was hit by a speeding cruiser filled with 4 sheep—though it looked like only one was dressed in a MZPD uniform.

[All units be advised, MZPD cruisers chasing target van filled with multiple non ZPD assailants. All appear to be heavily armed.]

As Fin’s van pulled onto D-359 his side mirror exploded from automatic gunfire coming from one of the cruisers behind him. “Okay, time to show these sheep some power.” Fin hit a switch under his steering wheel engaging the van’s supercharger and in a loud roar the van’s nose lifted a bit as they accelerated away from the heavy cruisers. Unfortunately, they were headed into the mountains and that meant snow and twisted roads, where the cruisers would quickly catch the lighter rear-wheel drive van.

McHorn turned to officer Higgins and grunted, “Let’s end this corporal.” Higgens smiled and poured on the power of the heavy eight wheeled SWAT command vehicle. The 12-cylinder supercharged diesel engine roared to life powering massive generators of the hybrid diesel-electric armored vehicle. With the influx of extra amps to each of the 16 electic motors driving the 8 massive tires, the truck shot forward like a sports car—accelerating and forcing their way up in between the five MZPD cruisers.. As soon as they ZPD SWAT truck got in front of the four cruisers, Higgens swerved sideways, locking the brakes on all eight tires, blocking every lane of the raised highway as the large armored truck came skidding to a halt. One of the cruisers tried to slam its way by with an obvious result, ending up with a smashed front end, rolled up on its side. The large cruiser was hardly a match for the ZPD-HEAVY SWAT vehicle.

The other four cruisers skidded to a stop when they realized they could not force their way by the armored truck in front of them. Prey mammals armed to the teeth with automatic weapons began firing on the SWAT truck from behind the cruisers’ doors or from the hatch roofs.

When Chief Bogo took over the position as head of the ZPD, he wanted to change the image of the police in the eyes of many of the citizens and part of that was getting rid of the overtly aggressive and overly armed T.U.S.K. Units of Razor Backs and following other police forces by developing special units to be used only in tactical situations. The ‘Weapons’ of Special Weapons And Tactics of SWAT Heavy were the mammals themselves. Officer Pennington, now with her tactical armor on, tapped Officer McHorn’s shoulder with her trunk as she stacked up behind him with four other large mammals, one rhino, another smaller elephant, a polar bear and a grizzly all armored with heavy combat shields and their brute strength. Officer Snarlof, a polar bear carried a large shotgun that fired rubber rounds.

On the side of the SWAT truck, four smoke grenade launchers swiveled down at their targets and fired, launching a volley of smoke and teargas amongst the cruisers. Then the massive side sliding door with the words, “The REAL SMASH ‘N”GRAB” painted as if done by a graffiti artist shot opened and McHorn jumped out, landing with full force onto the hood of the nearest cruiser. The huge black rhino in full tactical gear carrying and armored riot shield landed on their hood with such force that it crushed the front of the cruiser down to the suspension, blowing out the front tires and shattering the windshield. That was enough for the armed sheep and goats in the cruiser to throw down their weapons. A short fire fight ensued from the mammals in the last four cruisers, but as the elephants and rhinos in full armor and large riot shields exited their vehicles in full charge mode, most of the assailants all realized their weapons were useless and gave up rather than being trampled or tusked to death.

There was one ram that was not about to give up so easily. He had been bested by the same fox and Judy Hopps before when they stole Doug’s cable car drug lab. He was almost run over but managed to push himself against the edge of the train tunnel, getting all the wool from his stomach sheered clean off by the side of the cable car. He did escape the ZPD but vowed to get back at that fox and bunny. Well if the reports were true the bunny was gone but the fox now had Doug and maybe Jess so he was going to get his revenge. Standing up out of the hatch roof of the last MZPD cruiser he held a grenade launcher usually meant to fire pepper smoke grenades. Jesse opened the breach and inserted a high explosive light anti-armor grenade then closed the breach with a heavy click. “This will clear those ZPD scum out of our way!” He shouldered the weapon and aimed toward the open side door of the SWAT truck.

Adjusting his site for the arc of the heavy grenade he squinted and released the safety.

‘CRACK’

“Arrrg!” the ram screamed as his shoulder exploded with the stock of the grenade launcher as a heavy caliber round blew through his shoulder and the end of the weapon, blowing it out of his grip and onto the pavement below.

In a ZPD Cruiser from the Rainforest District, coming up behind the firefight on the highway, a panther officer did his best to hold the vehicle as straight as possible as the car comes to a skidding stop. “Great shot MaryBeth, rutting unbelievable from a moving cruiser and standing in the hatch!”

“Thanks Thunder, lets help round these scumbags up.” The cheetah officer replied as she climbed out of the hatch with her sniper rifle.

Another Rainforest unit slid to a stop next to them with a brown bear and bull elk opening their doors and aiming their weapons at the last group of sheep in the MZPD cruisers.

The shootout on the highway was over.

[Bravo 2-6, Target Van is clear and heading north, fifteen in custody will need ZFD for several wounded assailants.]

[ZFD and ZMS in route]

[Air-5 stop that van before they get into the tunnels.] Chief Bogo called into the radio

**_Back in Finnicks van:_ **

“Rut, Rut, Rut, I can’t stop his bleeding, he’s bad, real bad… we need a hospital now fox.” Chompsy said as he continued to work on Wilde’s shredded leg in the back of the van.

“Ain’t no turn offs until we get into Tundra Town, unless we go back and chance it.”

“They still behind us.”

“My mirrors are shot to shit, don’t know… rut!...” Fin yelled as he came around a bend to see a ZPD chopper landed on the highway. He hit the brakes skidding into the cement rail then back over to the other side, as he spun the wheel, getting the van to do a 180. Just as the van came to a stop, heading the other way, a much larger chopper landed right in front of them.

“Why’d you stop fox?”

There is a big damn helicopter in my way and a big ugly buffalo cop standing in front of me, and I think he’s pissed...”

Chompsy leaned up looking out the shattered front windshield, “Chief?”

The side door of the van was ripped open so hard it broke off its latches, “Kowoflski, what the hell happened?”, bellowed the head of the ZPD.

Fin looked over to the massive buffalo and growled, “Hey cop, you better have a warrant? You gonna pay for that door.”

**_Back at Zootopia General:_ **

Judy and Ben had no idea what was going on inside the van but they knew that Precinct One officers and the Chief had reached them. Judy wanted to go down to the helicopter pad, as the radio channel had gone silent other than the Chief saying they were heading back to the hospital. The medical teams had their own communications with the hospital staff and it was evident that the ER staff was preparing for incoming cases. Judy couldn’t stand it any longer. The emotional rabbit forced the cheetah to carry her down to the ER floor waiting room nearest the entrance from the helipad. Officer Rhinowitz and two other large predator ZPD officers followed them down for security. The words from the waiting doctors and several officers, though trying to talk amongst themselves, where easily loud enough for the doe’s hyper-sensitive ears…

“We have a GSW—critical but stable, one subdued savage wolf. knocked out with two 1cc darts of type-B tranque and a fox with severe leg trauma and blood loss. Touch and go on the fox. Medics had to put a tourniquet on his leg to slow the bleeding, not sure it can be saved.”

“Chief said make the fox a priority. Call the OR and see if they can get Kovak’s team ready.”

“Seriously, sir, that’s a hefty cost for a fox… as far as I can tell he doesn’t even have insur…

Rhinowitz slammed his large fist down on the gurney next to the speciest doctor, creating such a loud crash that all in the triage area of the ER helipad turned to look. “You will treat that fox as if he is one of your own blood. He just risked his life to get the antidote to save every savage mammal and if I here another speciest remark from one of you, you will find yourself working in Tundratown Maximum Security medical wing for the rest of your career.”

Ben looked at Judy and said, “Most words I heard Big-R say at once for as long as I’ve known him.”

Judy went over to the giant mammal that was a hundred times her size and gave him a hug around one of his massive arms. “Thanks, Roary…” too which the toughest of Precinct One’s officers, outside of Chief Bogo, gave subtle smile to the small rabbit. The large police chopper landed outside the triage doors on the helipad and the medical staff jumped to life. The doors flew open as several mammals helped a stretcher onto a gurney. There were plasma bags held up by a female wolf in a ZFD paramedic uniform and an antelope in scrubs pumping an oxygen bag in a mask over the canine mammal on the gurney that was being rushed past Judy into the OR. Judy could not recognize the mammal but she knew it had to be Nick as one black a and russet paw hung down with rich auburn fur on its arm. A trail of blood followed the gurney into the OR and before Judy could try to look into the doors two more gurneys came through, one with a wolf, out cold but strapped securely to the stretcher, and a ram that Judy recognized immediately as the chemist Doug Ramsey. He was handcuffed to his gurney but was sitting up with a bandaged shoulder. A wolf and tiger officer, both armed, followed the doctors into the ER with the Ram. Suddenly Judy stood there in her tears, not knowing if her friend would live. She felt alone, helpless, and so-so small as she stood there shaking until she felt a large hoof gently touch her shoulder.

“That fox is a fighter, I can tell. He’ll make it. He saved Wolfard… and probably all of the savage mammals... might even make a good cop one day.” Before Judy could smile up to the large buffalo he had turned to go check on Wolfard.

“Judy, come on now, sweetie,” said the raccoon nurse Gloria. “There is nothing you can do for now. Let’s go back upstairs so we can get out of everyone’s’ way. I will make sure the doctors inform you as soon as there is word.”

The rabbit could hardly remember if she was wheeled back up or if Rhinowitz carried her. This was the second time in less than a week that because of her, because of Judy Hopps having to prove herself that she could be a real cop, her best friend was possibly dying in surgery. A fox the everyone thought was a no good shifty… ‘ _honest, loyal, brave’_ … Her tears ran freely down the sides of her muzzle as she looked out the large windows of the observation room towards the now setting afternoon sun.

Judy gritted her buck teeth and knelt down like her grandmother had taught her to do allowing her ears to lay back as she dipped her head in prayer. Just then she noticed the presence of the large Rhino next to her. On the floor he spread out a beautifly dyed square blanket. Well to her it was a blanket, to Rhinowitz it was just enough for the huge mammal to come down on his knees. He places a decorative cover with tribal adornments over his horn. Then lowered his body to the floor with the rabbit.

Judy scooted herself over to his massive shoulder and she shuddered in tears. “Thanks, Roary”

Ben watched from the doorway with his radio headsets on. He heard footfalls coming down the hallway and turned to stop the chief in his tracks by making a slashing motion across his neck with his thumb and giving the chief a rare stern gaze. Taken aback by his bubbly cheetah dispatcher, the chief looked through the window from the hall into the security wing waiting room lounge to see the Rabbit and Rhino silhouetted by the setting sun. He gave a salute to the cheetah and left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Jackie Hopps will come back into the picture in the next couple of chapters. I have only a rough typed draft and I need to do a rewrite so with the upcoming Christmas craziness we shall see.... mo promises. I hope you all get to enjoy some family time. Nothing more important than family.
> 
> And comments, .... don't forget those. Wrap them if you have to...


	9. You don't know Jack!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flash back to the beginning of Jackie Hopps' long mission into the dark jungles of Anifrika. She will see for the first time the brutal tactics of the enemy that may await her.
> 
> Back at Zootopia General Hospital Judy learns of a terrible past from one of the ZPD officers that will tie the her fate the fate of her sisters together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the gaps between chapter is rarely this long. I will blame the holidays and with the short weeks comes a compressed work schedule but no less work. I have a stack of hot jobs waiting in my in box that are just taunting me now. 
> 
> Anyhow... I hope to have the next 'Jackie Hopps' Chapter out soon after this. We should be getting into the real meat now.

# You don’t know Jack

# …and probably best to leave it at that.

****

_**3 years, 7 months before present day:** _

The colorful lights from Zootopia’s Skyscrapers shimmered in through the mostly dark and quiet waiting room of the 4th floor secure wing of Zootopia Genera Hospital. It was one of the rooms that was not in the process of being turned into a savage mammal containment room. Like most floors that had a guest visitors area at the end of the halls, this large room with huge soft chairs and couches and the large glass windows overlooking Zootopia was much the same. It did have a double reinforced entry door making it a needed safe room, as the designers planned it to be an eventual guest area once they had found a way to cure savage mammals and begin to rehabilitate them back from their horrible primal state.

Judy sat on a pillow she had placed on a coffee table that sat in front of the large Rhino. During the night the raccoon nurse Gloria had come in and taken her vitals, checked Judy’s dressing, and given her some much-needed pain medication. Ben laid curled up in a very cat like manner, even for such a large Cheetah, next to the two with his chubby face over the arm of the love seat he occupied.

Roary Rhinowitz sat crossed legged on his pray blanket, Judy had never known a rhino could even do that, as he looked into a space and time beyond the young rabbit and began to account a saga from his past…

“I was much like you, full of vigor and devotion to duty. I too was how you say ‘Valedictorian’ a shujaa hodari — mighty warrior. Captain in the Kings Guard at the age of 23. Well now in another land there was another great Tiger King in the high mountain of northern Zindia who had a son full of dreams and a soul meant for adventure.” The Rhino smiled a bit, “He was a bit of a trouble to the royal court as he was kind of a roguish young mammal—much like that fox friend of yours and a bit like you, young rabbit.”

Judy rolled her eyes at the implication.

“He did get tamed that one… by a commoner no less—big scandal in the local gossip columns,” Roary gave a wink toward Ben, “She was a member of the Kings own dragoons.”

“What kingdom was this big guy, it sounds so much like a fairytale?” Ben asked, “and who were these great kings?”

“Ah now my spotted friend, it may be interesting for you to know that I am from central Anafrika and I served a great Lion King there once.” Ben’s ears perked up as his tail began to flip, “but for this tale I must leave much to mystery as it involves betrayal and lives lost.”

“No, no, no…”

“Hush Ben, let Roary speak..”

“As I was saying the young Tiger Prince had and adventurer’s heart but he had his duties as well. His father seeing how the world was becoming a smaller place sent him to my kingdom as ambassador. The young prince spent many months negotiating trade and learning the ways of the world—as any good future king should.” Roary looked down a Judy, “…the young prince’s mother saw his heart though and knew of his love for the dragoon officer. She was a beautiful tigress, strong, loyal, determined and in love but not of royal blood… bah like such trivial things should matter when the heart truly has made its choice .The Queen made sure the Tigress was sent as Captain of the Prince’s guard. There were many journeys between our lands and the Prince soon to be King became great and trusted friends with the Prince of our land and his soon to be queen…Yes Ben, he found his love.”

“It is a fairytale…”

“Be still my excitable Cheetah.” Roary’s features saddened just a bit. “Fairytales do not always end… kwa furaha milele.”

Ben cocked his head.

“Ah, as you say, happily ever after. The Young Tiger King and his beautiful new queen were expecting a litter of cubs but there were complications and the queen died during the birth of three daughters… she and the one son, …went on to the creators call with his mother.”

“Oh no, so only the daughter cubs lived. The young King must have been so horribly sad.” Tears had begun to wet Judy’s eyes.

“Yes, he was, but he loved his daughters that his mate had given him. He adored this last and most precious gift. So, he promised his mate as he held each daughter up to her spirit that he would protect them as she had protected him. That is where my story begins. My king and queen were heart broken by tragedy of loss of for such dear friend from the north. They offered a gift of protection for one of the daughters as per the Zindian Kingdoms customs to have a royal guardian not of the land but of a trusted ally that would swear a life oath to the offspring of the King.”

“Your King ordered you to do this—to become a life servant to one of the Tiger King’s daughters?” Judy wondered with a bit of surprise.

“No, no he would never make such and order, he asked for three volunteers to challenge for the right to do so. I won the challenge to take the honor of fulfilling such a duty for my King and my people. My King and Queen wanted to offer the best they had for their dearest friend. It was a gift from the heart of our people after all that all mourned for the Tigress and cub… So, I spent the next twenty years in the royal Zindian kingdom protecting, raising, teaching, mentoring and finding a family in the daughter of a great King, a kind and gentle king he was...”

For many minutes the large black rhino said nothing. He just looked through the two mammals as if they had not been in the room. The rough grey skin that now had deep wrinkles around his eyes darkened with tears as they made streaks down his massive face. Ben moved over to be close to Judy. “Roary…are, are you okay?”

“It was going to be a great celebration; my former Lion King had invited his old friend and my new royal family down to the eighteenth birthday of his youngest daughter and her engagement party. One of the Zindian Princesses stayed home as she was chosen to mind the court. Like her grandfather, she was more Kingdom minded… probably would be the next Queen. She was engaged to a good mammal from Catmandu in Nepawl.” Roary looked toward the sky, “she would have made a great queen…” and let that hang for just a moment. The mood in the room had gone from romance fairytales to tragic and yet the story had not been finished. Ben’s tale and nose was twitching along with the rabbits.

“Please Roary,… its already so sad and we do not even know what you are about to say.”

Roary shook his massive head to clear his thoughts, his small ears flapping and the tassels on his horn cover spinning before he closed his eyes and settled down. “In the royal court of my former Kingdom we were all gathered with many mammals of many species. My charge was having a joyous time with the young princes. She was also showing the new Captain of the guard her fighting skills” Roary said with pride for his student as he had taught the tigress to be a warrior as well.”

“then it happened, just… like now… it happened then, I tried to protect them, I tried... But there were too many… I had too…” he removed his horn cover and turned away from Ben and Judy. Soon he felt a soft paw on the side of his massive lower jaw.

“Roary, you are among friends here. You can trust us.”

“The King, my former King… the greatest Lion King of all went savage…”

“Savage no!”

“And not just him, his queen, several of their sons and daughters and my Tiger King, and ALL SAVAGE… Predators, among his Royal guard also… It, it was as if hells spawn had opened up to poses them all and they began to… to kill everyone…”

Ben was under one of the couch cushions now fully in tears, “How, how did you escape?”

The rhino straightened up, though tears streaked his face he stood at attention, “I did my duty… I protected my princess and the mammals around me. I, I killed the savage beast.” Then he went to his knees, “and so did she… she killed her own father.”

Ben and Judy held one another in almost a state of shock until Judy finally spoke, “The savage mammals, so it had happened before? All this had happened before and you… maybe even Bogo knew?” It was a question, but it was also an accusation even if she did not mean it to be and though she tried to keep here anger out of her voice, the way she had been treated, pushed aside by her chief on that bridge when Manchas had attacked Nick and her then disappeared and Rhinowitz was there… it was still painful.

“I, I don’t know? I never found out how it happened or why. What was left of the royal family went into hiding as the attack was repeated not only there but in other kingdoms and as they fell a great army from the North lead by a bull elephant… I think his name is Bellmorah. They say he is over 100 years old. I, I do not know of such things. My duty was to the oath I had given and so I had to get my princes and her sister to safety… far away from that place.”

“You brought them both here didn’t you Roary. You brought them to Zootopia—”

“Hush chatty cat, you are curious and wiser than you know but you must learn to tamper your emotions. The FMNA got us out and helped us start new lives for now. As for your assertion little rabbit… yes I knew that predators do not just go savage. Bogo told you that once, did he not. Still we never found out what had caused it. And… and now I have the blood of those I once loved on my…” the massive ungulate looked down at his hooves… as if they had become offensive to him.

Judy understood the poor mammals guilt and had to change his focus, “Do…do you still keep your oath… to protect your King’s daughter?” Judy asked quietly.

The rhino only nodded his head in the lightest, then added, “I do trust you little one, but my oath requires that trust is precious as blood and I must be vigilant always.”

“Fangs…” Ben began to say before a massive hoof gently pushed his muzzle shut.

“You are a good detective officer… you should have stayed on the streets rather than becoming a Cheshire Cat…”

Ben pushed both off his soft paws on Roar’s big foot and moved it aside. “I may have lost my nerve to hold my gun. I know this, But Roary, I will never betray the trust of my brothers and sister in Blue.”

“Roary gave a nod, “I believe you Officer Clawhouser and forgive me for ever doubting you. You are a good and loyal servant.” Ben gave a smile and a purr to Roary’s words.

“I, I am sorry for getting angry Roary. I have two sisters that have joined the FMNAF and I have not heard from them in over a year. My oldest Sister… oh yes, no names… you are right…” Judy covered her eyes. “What madness are they facing?”

Roary picked up the rabbit and sat back down to face out the window, “Well rabbit, if they are like you then they each must be a ‘shujaa hodari’ great warrior. We must then honor their spirit by our oath, our duty here… So, you my girl need to rest.” The Rhino laid Judy on the fluffy couch next to him and covered her with a blanket left by Gloria. Then he sat crossed legged back on his prayer blanket and closed his own eyes with his massive fore hooves on his knees.

Ben curled back into the love seat. If Nicholas Wilde knew everybody that was important in Zootopia Ben knew everybody in the ZPD. Yes, he was the Chatty cat but Rhinowitz got one thing right, Ben was a good detective though not by title, he had his nose, paws, whiskers and ears… and his contacts throughout the entire force. It was probably the real reason the chief keeps this Cheshire Cat around. _‘I wonder If Wolfy knows his love is a princess. Poor wolf will never ask her out if he ever finds out.’_

**_One Year and Seven Months before the Museum incident: Location Approx. 5 kilometers west of Jeremie, Haiti. Joint FMNAF temporary Air Base:_ **

A group of assorted mammals made their journey across the field toward the cantina on the other side. The airstrip was heavily compacted clay mixed with the local sand—a mostly crushed seashell-based aggregate that stuck to your paws.

“I hate how this stuff feels on my paw pads, can’t we go around?”

“Orders are not to be late and the major will have us all on latrine duty if we are.”

A Hyena who had stopped to brush his paw pads off hurried to catch up, “Why all the hush, hush anyway—”

“Seriously Joker? It’s a surprise birthday for the Sergeant Major… one, he hates surprises, and two, he hates birthday parties. So, no breach of intelligence… come on Joker.”

“Okay, Okay, but a birthday… I’d rather get some rack time…”

“Maybe you can, but with a fine piece of tail along with you.” Smirked ‘Thunder’ a black panther wearing his class A uniform.

“Yeah, yeah. Maybe for you hotshots, but not for a lowly tanker pilot.” The Hyena jogged up beside the tall panther.

“Really, tell me who has the furries to keep their tanker dead straight with two migs entering missile range so my wing mammal and I can hook up and get juiced. Never breaking radio silence. No panic… serious courage Joker and don’t you forget it. Beside that freaky scary Siberian Wolf from Intelligence is going to be there. She creeps me out.”

The Jackal’s tail began to wag as he picked up his pace, “Oh mammal, I like ems scary. And those Ice blue eyes… come on Thunder, move it soldier!”

The entire squadron was in attendance inside the cantina. An old juke box was providing jazz tunes but all that mattered to the mammals that had been through months of hard training was the chance for some downtime and a well-stocked bar. Jackie Hopps was not much of a drinker, though her family back on the farm had their own wine and beer distillery. Rabbits in general were lightweights when it came to alcohol. Still she was enjoying the time to wind down from the last mission with a simple coffee. On a heavy cross board her chair leaned back against very a distinguished looking though rather small Woodrat in a flight suite sat down beside her with a glass of beer about the size of a small thimble. “Hello Lieutenant, not partaking tin the festivities?”

“Evening Major Netomy. Actually, I would rather be back in my rack with a good book, or better yet back in the burrows.”

“Ah yes, Bunny Burrow, know it well. I have family from Deerbrook.” He took a sip of his beer. Your family makes a line of craft stouts I believe, several apple, black berry, blueberry and some spicy porters as well. I like a good dark beer.” The major reminisced as he finished his glass.

“Yes, the craft beer was more of a hobby of my great grandpappa. Something he brought back from the great war he said. Had to have a hearty beer. My father likes the Bourbon but that is just for a select few. Rabbits are better brewers than drinkers… I think it may have gone along with the bad years when farming was poor but bootlegging was always good business.”

Just then a white hare with black stripes on his ears entered the cantina along with several wolves to take a table that had been saved for them near the bar. The hare was handsome enough though he only wore a major’s rank he seemed to command authority of all the officers in the room.

Major Netomy pointed his empty glass at the hare, “Now he’s a handsome buck, and I know he’s shown some interest. Have you ever—”

“No. Never.” Jackie cut the rat short, “Jack Savage cares about two things, his career and what pleases Jack Savage.”

“Woops, Sorry. Guess there is some history there.”

“More than I would like to admit… he’s my brother in-law.”

One of the wolves that came in with Jack Savage was a stunningly beautiful as almost any canine would admit, white Siberian wolf with ice blue eyes. Her eyes were made brilliant by the black fur that outlined them in a teardrop shape that faded back into the silver of her inner ears. Once she held your gaze you could not look away. And she had her gaze on a particular grey and black hyena.

“Da, so the dog soldier come back again, what was, how you say call name?” the she-wolf teased.

The Hyena and his Panther friend turned in their stools. That was all it took and he was caught by those eyes, a she devils eyes on the hunt, “Its, ah… well…”

The Panther nosed in, “His ‘Call Sign’ is Joker… “

“Ah yes, Joker, yes you are the funny one…” she looked at the panther with a turn of her head but kept her eyes piercing the hyenas frozen gaze, “Give some space cat.” And she shoved her luxurious tail onto the stool in between the two. She moved a paw up to run her polished claws through Joker’s fur just below one ear as she put her long muzzle next to the other, “I need to tell you, I hate all dis scent mask they make us wear. It makes me itch deep inside and yet I must still find relief. A girl can only go so long Mr. Joker…mmmm.” She took a few sniffs of his neck and then a quick nip.

“I, ah I, I guess… I not sure how I can help… you know miss… on this base…” before he could say two more words the wolf was pulling the hyena through the cantina’s kitchen to the back doors. Thunder was following them as she had grabbed his paw as well. They burst out into the back were a large MRAP was parked.

“We go in truck, is good, no?” The wolf poked the panther in the chest, “you are on guard duty now lieutenant black kitty”

“I just don’t think this is a good idea, the Sergeant Major is going to be her soon and —” Joker protested weakly.

“I am Captain Eveonosovich,” she growled in his ear nipping at the fur as one paw cupped the front of his crotch. “You not want me now? You rather sing cute songs and play games maybe?”

“Oh rut it hell no. Joker thanks for bringing me buddy I owe you.” Then the hyena turned to open the back armored door of the MRAP. As the door opened he felt a sharp sting to the back of his neck and turned to see the She wolf holding a tranque gun. The hyena reacted as trained and pulled a combat dagger from his lower thigh pocket but his reactions were already growing unsteady from the drugs. The last thing he remembered was a giant white polar bear paw pulling him into the darkness of the MRAP.

Captain Eve as she called herself for short, holstered her tranque gun back into her thigh holster under her skirt. “You did good lieutenant, now go and forget this laughing dog’s muzzle. He will never see daylight again.” She hit the side of the MRAP then jumped in the back pulling the door closed. The large armored truck started up and took off into the dark of the night. The panther leaned down and picked up the razor thin dagger off the dirt, turned to see the face of Major Jack Savage in the reflection of the blade, the hare’s muzzle lit by the glow of his cigar.

“It’s not your fault lieutenant, he fooled us all for a time. Get back inside.”

The panther moved past the hare without a word, let the dagger drop into the old wood floor boards with a “thwack” right between the buck’s feet, then headed back into the cantina, knowing he sent one of his best friends, and a traitor, to some unknown fate he would rather not ever think about.

Jack pulled the dagger from the floor and looked at the blade, “hmmm, good weapon,” then slid it into one of his foot wraps, “yep, conceals well.” He stamped the cigar out on the door jamb and went back inside.

Jack walked around the bar, past the dart board as a dart just missed one of his ears and up to the old juke box. He reached down behind the neon glowing device and pulled the plug sending the cantina into silence. Which lasted for about two wiggles of his nose before a beer bottle smashed the wall just above his head from some darkened part of the large room. Apparently Jack reasoned that they really wanted their music and it had nothing to do with the disdain in the recent failures of military intelligence.

“TEN-HUT!” came a roar from a grizzly bear corporal that had just entered the bar. Silhouetted from the old sodium lamp outside the large broad shoulders of the water buffalo bent down to come in the door.

As he came into the light of the bar a few pilots from a corner table began to sing “Happy birthday…” just as a bar stool hit the wall behind them with enough force to disassemble itself into kindling.

“Finish one syllable of that song and you will be doing KP duty for the next six months, now sit down and SHUT IT!.”

Jack Jumped up onto the bar and walked over to the water buffalo as the large mammal gave him a salute. “Major sir.”

“Sergeant Major, why is it that the room comes to attention when you enter but they don’t even notice me?

The water buffalo smirked, “You’re a spook Jack, You want respect, get a real job.”

And in that moment Major Netomy, who had made his way along a ceiling rafter where a movie screen had been secured, jumped down pulling the screen along with him until he reached the bar counter.

“Thanks Anthony. Okay everyone, listen up…” Bogo bellowed, “as you know by now this is not the date of my birth nor do we or shall we ever plan such a celebration. This is a mission brief. And some of you by now know that the last training mission was in fact a real-world combat mission. Why this was kept from you, that is for the Major from military intelligence to explain… Major” The buffalo moved aside to give the floor to the hare Jack Savage.

A digital projector had been set up on one of the tables in front of the screen connect via encrypted line to a tablet the hare held. What I am about to play for you may be very disturbing and as it should. The imagery is rather poor. It is a digitized version of 5mm film taken from the Anafikan Kingdom of Zurundi approximately one year ago. Those that orchestrated the attack had covered their tracks well making sure there was and electronic black out of the entire Kingdom.”

The video, though jumpy in parts, was still rather clear, as it showed the celebration within the royal court of the Lion Kings family with many mammals attending. Most prevalent, the Royal Family of Tigers and many of their entourage. The cheerful gathering included predator and prey, young and old in what was beyond the pomp and circumstance, two families and many friends gathering to celebrate the engagement party of one of the King’s daughters. 

Jack continued during the video, “They however did not count on a small Meerkat, a fan of the royal family, or possibly a paparazzi that did not have credentials using old film equipment with a telephoto lens hidden in the trees outside the courtyard. The little bugger was good, had a thermal blanket over his perch to keep the IR drones from seeing his location from the air.”

Jack stopped the video playback. “You are about to see why we are here, why we have chosen this calling. Most of you have never seen death, not like this,” Jack pointed to the mammals he had walked in with, “though some of you have, and it will haunt any rational mammal…” He just turned away from the screen as the video played. Jackie saw the heartless unemotional Jack Savage broken in that moment as the hare stepped out of the light of the projector. Suddenly the seen was from the worst horror film she had ever seen in all her teen rebel years, as several of the large predators began attacking, no tearing apart any mammal they could see as either food or adversary. The video being digitized from film had no sound, but the photographer had responded as it panned with a jerk to the left when the attack began before shakily going back to the carnage. When it came back a large black rhino and a single tigress where defending off the savage beast. The Rhino had subdued many of them with what looked to be a ceremonial spear… it was not apparent if he had killed them or not until a large male lion and two lionesses jumped on his back, he fell to a roll, spinning with the bladed spear disemboweling two of the beast. The third had run and pounced onto a small kudu instead. Before the Lion could bite the kudu through the throat the Rhino impaled the savage beast in the back of his skull. The Rhino pulled the lion off the Kudu as Jack ended the video then rolled it to where it had jerked back to the left and froze it.

The room was silent except for controlled grunts, growls and sobs. “What you have just witness was not a rumored ‘virus’ as put out by the propaganda of the forces of Temuchin Bellmorah, leader of the United Mongolian Mammals Dominion” 

Disruptive anger had filled the room until Bogo gave a loud “Shut-it!” to get everyone’s attention back on focus.

“As you can see in the cut away as the film jerked hard left at 30 frames per second, right here in this turret side window of the court yard tower,” Jack used a laser pointer to circle a silhouette. Though fuzzy, it showed a mammal with some form of a weapon and projectiles leaving the barrel in a blur. “Whatever this is, it is the cause of the carnage. Some biological weapon fired fromm and air rifle. Only an air rifle would have such a slow muzzle velocity that the projectiles would have been picked up by the film. The meerkat never realized he had caught this detail until experts had a chance to analyze the film.”

Jack hit his tablet to bring up a tactical satellite map on the screen

“Within weeks of this event the kingdom of Katshmire in northern Zindia had fallen. Katshmire was the kingdom that the Royal family of tigers shown in the video had come from. This is significant because the Kingdom of Katshmire is the only known political, economic, scientific, and trading partner of the most mysterious nation in central Anafrika—Sarrangi” this new brought more murmurings from the officers in the cantina.

Jack shut the video off and the lights went up. He jumped up on the bar and continued. “Look mammals, I know I am being very short coming on information after what you just saw but time is not on our side. Sarrangi is probably the most closed of nation in the world. They are known for their exceptional resources that have brought them many advances in biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences. Up until now they had only entrusted the Kingdom of Katshmire to release specific advances to the world, vaccines, therapeutics for many serious chronic diseases…, I do not have the specific for this, I’m not a doctor or politician. There has been only one other connection to the outside world and that connection was our link to the mission a week ago. Kovak Industry’s top two genetics researchers were allowed to start a research facility somewhere deep in those jungles. No one other than the team that established the facility knew of its location. Almost one year ago all communications with that team ceased. About the same time Zoomabia and Animagolo had surrendered to forces of the UMMD. The Democratic Republic of the Kongho sign a Non-Aggression-Pack with the UMMD and the word is the Council of Elders of Sarrangi was forced to as well—against the Royal family’s wishes.”

Jack stopped as a white she-wolf looking a bit disheveled and a large polar bear came in from the kitchen. Jack simply flipped his ears and she gave a couple of hand signals back.

Jackie noticed her paw was stained with blood though she tried to hide it.

“Damn, Okay mammals we are on the clock… I need to make the mission brief much briefer. We managed intelligence that a shipment of a more refined version of the bioweapon you witnessed was headed to Rio for the World Cup. Thanks to Lieutenant Hopps and the Dragon Alpha X1 and the new Lacewing Drones we located a cargo ship with a modified container that had multiple launchers. Unfortunately, before my team could go in and capture the ship the terrorist began there set up to fire their weapons. Ghost flight was ordered to drop two 1000 lb Vulcan Wrath thermite incendiary bombs guided in by the Dragon’s lasers. Our dive teams were on standby but except for residue on the launch tubes 100% of all the toxin and the terrorist arming the weapons were vaporized by the thermite blast.”

Jack lowered his maw then looked straight at the mammals present, “I know you thought it was a training op, that no one was supposed to get killed, well as you saw in that video we are fighting evil incarnate. Mammals will die. And we have been infiltrated!” Jack looked at the she-wolf and bear who were now at the bar, the wolf with a bottle of whiskey in her paw, “but, I have been assure the leak has been dealt with severely; so, no more Chitchat mammals we are on the clock.” Jack jumped off the bar and strolled over to lean next to the she-wolf. Bogo stood up next.

“Alright mammals…”

Jackie just kept her eyes on Jack, maybe she had been too hard on him. Maybe his heartless exterior was a coping mechanism after all. Who could blame any mammal that made it their career to understand the depths of depravity that mammals could inflict upon one another.

“…Hopps, Lieutenant Hopps, are you part of this briefing?” beckoned the buffalo. “You are wheels up in forty five mikes. Your ground team has done their prep work and were flown out to the Nautigal this morning so you should be set, correct Lieutenant?

“Yes, Sergeant Major, heading out to the cargo container ship the Nautigal, clean and quiet.”

“Then move your tail, the rest of the briefing you do not need to hear.” Jackie saluted and headed toward the door. It was important that only the parts of the mission she was required to complete she was briefed on. If for any reason she found herself in hostile territory she would not need to dis-acknowledge information she did not have access to in the first place. She made her way quickly across the dark field to her quarter just outside the hanger of the Dragon Alpha X sitting on metal grating layer over the compressed gravel tarmac. Her ‘Baby” as she had fondly begun to call the aircraft suddenly looked very cold, dark and lonely. She shook off the odd feeling and went into her quarters to check her gear.

Jackie had her ruck packed. She left the door and windows of her bungalow open. It was not much more than an enclosed Tiki hut but at least she had personal quarters. Though the island night breeze coming off the gulf was cooler and less humid than during the day she enjoyed how the tropical air felt through her fur, so her flight suit hung from her waist as she checked the contents of her survival kit. The hut was mostly dark but for the small LED lamp she had aimed at the bed as she took inventory of each item she needed to pack. As she double checked her list a pair of soft but firm paws grasped the narrow part of her exposed hips just above her thighs and pulled her back as a muzzle pressed into her shoulder blade from behind and began giving small nips along the taught tendon. Jackie leaned into the intruder’s furry maw and gave out a sigh.

“You should be more careful Hopps, I could have been an intruder.”

“You are an intruder Jack,” she said with have lidded eyes, “but if I hadn’t known it was you well before you got to my door the stiletto in my leg wrap would be in your kidney now.” She rolled her had forward and dropped her checklist on the bed. “Come to see me off Jack?”

His paws moved up her sides, his short claws pushing against the tense muscles of her back as she shivered. “Your shaking, I was worried, you looked pretty shook up by the captured video. I wanted to make sure you were alright.” He let his claws work the muscle of her upper back, over her camo crop top up to her neck. She responded by letting her shoulder roll forward so he could massage them.

“Since when has the cool and collected Jack Savage ever cared about any” Jackie cut herself off, “I’m sorry Jack, I, I think I’ve miss judged you.”

Jack felt her shoulder shake just a bit as if she had tried to hold back a sob. “I don’t know, you’ve always been a pretty good judge of character, probably why you draw the likes of me in.”

“Jack,” She broke away and turned to face him, “I mean it, I guess I understand why if you have to face such carnage all the time you would have to learn to hide yourself, hide any emotion…”

Jack pulled her close to him, “Jackie, look at me, look into my eyes…” she did as he asked, “not just into them but into me…”

As she did his paws stroked up her back and shoulders then forward toward the base of her ears to hold her gaze steady. He spoke in a soft of sadly serious tone. “If things were different and you weren’t so young…” Jack’s eyes were almost glossy with regret but only for the shortest breath, “There are four types of facades that mammals wear, almost all mammals wear them, call it a mask or a wall. The first is the easiest to spot, someone like you or I have known this kind since we were kits in school—the pretentious ‘Look I am Perfect’ facade. The kids who if they are not the center of popularity would be nothing so they pretend they’re lives are perfect when inside they are constantly in fear of being judged. The second we all may carry and put on at one time or another — a façade of duality to cover shame or regret. It’s like the first yet sometimes the fear is so deep, so hard to face that mammals create an entirely new life that in time they don’t even believe is the false one. The third one is much like the other two but grows out of a life of pain and suffering that one develops the ability to look beyond pain, beyond suffering—to hide their heart, mind and soul from those that would hurt them, like an emotional chameleon.”

“I’ I am so sorry Jack, I never took into account what you have gone through, I’ve treated you horribly…” She pulled him into her wrapping her arms around him and letting his embrace pull her body in to him. Why hadn’t she seen this sooner. Why now when she was about to fly off to who knows where.

His muzzle was pressed against hers as he spoke into her ear. “Don’t, don’t be sorry, ever. Not for me. I’ve seen so many mammals as I grew up on the streets of Zootopia. I’ve seen death up close just for a few dollars and yet predator and prey huddles together under loading docks of Tundratown Fish Processing Plants sharing a burn barrel and a bottle of rum for warmth. But I’m not that third mammal you see. Those mammals usually suffer and finally break. No… You see the fourth mammal is the worst to try to break. They cut their heart out and burry it some place deep and make a promise that no one will ever get past their walls.”

“I, but, why Jack?” Maybe it was the sense of fear, maybe it was 6 months without anyone of her species or seeing her family but she nuzzled into his shoulder pressing herself into him, and for the first time ever allowed the smug bastard, as she would say, to let his paws move over her body, gently soothing her. “Why don’t you deserve someone.”

“Like I have said, as I, as we, Thomas and I have survived on the streets I made a choice… I would take all the brutality that living on the streets could throw at us to protect my brother… to give him as much of a normal life as possible…” Jack took in her scent and the warmth, not the heat but the warming of his heart, what there was he would give, to have a female, not just any female but someone we had adored for so long just holding him. “I could give you so many examples Jacklyn… The todd that kept us alive for a week in his small friend’s van, Never got their names but I was so much like him we could swap fur and never skip a beat. He would never admit it but he was like a magician that one, He could turn his emotions on or off, up or down, literally in a breath. All just to protect his single mother from the life he chose working on the streets for a crime family… but it was survival for her for whom he loved. He backed up to look down, or how about this, A certain sergeant major’s brother, you think the sarge is a hard ass, you haven’t met Chief Bogo of the ZPD, that water buffalo eats cadets and shits out precinct captains.”

Jackie blanched at his crassness, “Really the sergeant brother is the Chief of Police, and you are saying he is as insufferable as Jack Savage.” She poked the hare in the chest as he moved his paws down her ears.

“No, not like me, I’m suave, he is his brother for sure but he never shows a crack, not one bit of emotion, but he has taken on more brokenness and fear than any mammal in the ZPD and he never lets his officer see him break because he loves every single one of them for stepping up—doing the job.

He moved in and nuzzled her, brushing one paw down her ears and the other allowing his claws to push through the bare fur of her back. Jackie pushed herself into his touch. “None of this sound so bad Jack.”

“Just hold on, how about a rabbit doe who isn’t afraid of anything nor anyone except letting anyone know that on the inside she is constantly terrified of almost everyone…”

“Judy, You mean, Judy, but she’s the bravest of all my sisters…”

“Courage has nothing to do with being afraid, it has to do with how we move past our fears.” He pushed Jackie down so they were sitting side by side on the cot. “Judy though has created and emotional block to protect those she loves because she knows the bonds that rabbits, especially littermates share in carrying one another’s burdens.”

“Why are you telling me this now Jack, I mean you and Jill…”

“That never would have worked out.” He gave a quiet chortle, “hell she is practically me. Why do you think Thomas fell so hard for her? And, hell she is the damned scariest rabbit I’ve ever met.”

“But you were always such a smug ass flirt, After Thomas and Jill got together you were such a tease but you treated me like such a child and then would go trolling in town.”

“You were a child Hopps, I’m no cradle robber and I am not going to disrespect my family like that. Like I said, if things were different and you were older.”

“I’m older now.” She said in a half breath as she pulled him into a kiss allowing him to fall over her onto the cot. His paws pushed hers above her head as he pushed his muzzle under hers giving soft nips and nuzzles as he moved under her jaw and down to the fuller fur of her dewlap beginning to grow back in. Jackie let her head roll back on her pillow at the sensation, as she tried to hold back her own desires building up. Jackie had always thought Jack was an amazingly handsome buck, in a roguish way. And the first time she had seen him shirtless at the south reservoir where they all swam, those stripes, and the scars… they just made him so… mysterious, forbidden. It may have had to do with the fact that he was a hare and a jack rabbit, the least like bunnies of all hare species, but for most mammals they were all rabbits, or bunnies. In a town like Bunny Burrow, when the two young and eligible new hares showed up, no rather invaded the town, for an indefinite stay, they get noticed—especially by the largest group of young female rabbits in one place, every non-attached doe of dating age in the Hopps Warren.

That was the problem Jackie had with the arrogant hare—though she and her sister Judy and Jill were the oldest in her direct family, Judy and herself were not the oldest does in the Hopps Warren, the charisma, attractiveness and adventures appeal of the striped hare buck drew the females to Jack like groupies. He was just so different then the country rabbit bucks from the burrows. As much Jack’s insolence towards anyone that tried to get close to him, Jack’s humble brother Thomas caught heart of Jackie’s oldest sister Jillian, who by chance was the only doe that would not give a second tilt of her ears towards the charms of Jack Savage. On the other paw, a sixteen-year-old naive doe from the country was for a time, captivated by the magnetism of everything that was Jack Savage — and then she shipped out to basic in the FMNAF.

“Yes, you are older now, old enough to go off into battle and capable to. You are…” his strong paws moved up her toned stomach, “so much stronger,” Jacks paw slid over the high-tech fabric of Jackie’s crop top, letting a claw drag along its surface around the edge of her breast, “so… dangerous”

She felt her tongue unconsciously lick her own dry lips, “…because you trained me to be dangerous…” and gave out and uncontrolled quiet churring as the feeling of the claw tip scratched along the surface toward the crest of her bosom. Jack’s claws were longer than a rabbit, genetically designed for defense rather than digging and he made sure they were quite capable—honed to deadly points and ready to deploy. The razor-sharp tip of his longest claw traced the small nub that had now become more prominent through the taught fabric, “tell me my young but dangerously sexy lieutenant, what is this material that keeps my claws at bay?”

Jackie had to take in a breath, “it’s called dragon cloth, yes—what’s with all the dragon jargon? It was developed by the same engineer at Boeing that developed the DarkStar Dragon skin for the alpha, I think he’s got a thing for the theme… oh..yes”

Jack had cupped the other breast with his paw to feel it under the fabric, then gave a gentle nibble to the small nub that had become so visibly aroused even the high-tech material could not hide their awakening. “Ah, you mean that ol’ coyote, yes I know the one. Still does everything with a slide rule and can beat out all those nerds from Z.I.T. I think that old wily coyote has a thing for you Hopps, this stuff must be stronger and lighter than Zylon?”

“… uh, it is , it is claw and fang resistant and partially knife and ballistic resistant even this thin. I have a flack vest but it’s too bulky to where under the flight suit that is also dragon skin but several more layers… ah, that… it’s just too damned hot here…”

“Yes, you are very hot indeed, so tell me, does this amazing garment come in a set..”

Without saying a word, even if Jackie could in the state she was now in, she raised he butt off the cot so she could allow her flight suit to shimmy off her hips and fall to her ankles on the floor, exposing the camo bikini bottoms made of the same material as the top. She had never been this forward with any buck, hell she had never been on a real date except for the school coed mixers that she just showed up to, and now she was practically throwing herself at none other than Jack Savage… _‘damned his skilled claws, and his sexy smug ass smile, and those amazing ears, and… and…’_

“I see,” Jack continued seductively as he trailed an open paw so gently down Jackie’s bare fur stomach the doe could only feel the sensation of her outer guard hairs being gently brushed. It heightened her awareness and as the buck’s paw moved down her abdomen. Her fur felt like it was being electrified. Jack let the claw of his thumb and forefinger push into her fur to trace the curve of her toned abdomen as it narrows. He traced the silver-white fur until it disappeared under the camo bikini bottoms. His paw stopped as the claws snagged on the hem that bridged over the gap between Jackie’s hip bones and the mound of her sex.

“You are wound tighter than WO1 making their first dead stick autorotation.” Jack quipped as he felt her body tense with his touch. 

Jackie lifted her head just a bit then placed a paw over her eyes as if to cover her embarrassment, “Oh yeah, the first time with that stick between your legs can be a life changing experience…”

“Oh my Hopps,” Jack moved his open paw across the ‘dragon skin fabric’ covering her mound, causing the does body to quiver, “I think you need to work on those innuendos a bit. That was a bit forward even for me.” He slid his claws back up her stomach letting them draw around her belly button as he spoke. “You are certainly a beautiful rabbit, smart, strong and…” he took in a breath. “Though I imagine the first time you safely landed a helo dead stick without your instructor to pull your tail out from becoming a hole in the dirt was a thrill for you, I do not think giving your innocence to the likes of me would be the excitement you would cherish.” Jack grabbed both her paws and pulled her back up to a seated position on the cot, then let out a long breath, “…like I said, if things were different, in my life, but you are family now and I am not someone you really want…”

She pulled her paws away and suddenly felt uncomfortable with her state of undress and pulled a pillow in front of her and held it to her chest, “Why, why would you come in here and taunt me like this?”

“I, I’ve always admired your strength… but Jill would kill me, not to mention Bonnie. Come to mention it, You Hopps females are a scary lot…”

“You’re not funny Jack, You knew what you’ve just done to me? I’m wheels up in… shit fifteen minutes… and you just come in here and…”

Jack pulled her close though she tried to pull away, “I know, I’m a scoundrel, but I…” he deepened the hug, “don’t get yourself killed Jackie.” Then he released her and turned away.”

“That’s’ it! You practically molest me then a hug and wish me a safe journey… you really could care less what hap—”

The jack rabbit turned on her, his words laced with self-hate, “I have ordered so many mammals to die for this or that, I don’t even remember the reasons anymore. I only remember their faces… those I don’t forget—ever! And… I, I would send a dozen more to keep my brother safe but that’s not my choice anymore…” Jack pulled up her flight suit for the doe and check the straps and various pockets as he spoke refusing to look into her eyes, “He chooses his own fate now. He will be waiting for you with his team at your refueling point and then he gets to walk out of where ever in god’s name that will be. I get to give out the intelligence and orders and he jumps out of a plane willingly because that’s what he is now.” Jack brushed her shoulder and looked into Jackie’s eyes…

Outside a jeep pulled up as a female skunk corporal steps up to Lieutenant Hopps’ door, “Major Savage, you are needed back at HQ sir.”

Jack looked over his shoulder and gave the skunk dressed in a military blouse and skirt, a very thorough once over then turned to give Jackie a smirk, “Sorry Hopps, I really care about you but I am not the one you want.”

Jack turned to the corporal, “I’ll drive, we need to go to my quarters first, I did not catch your name my dear.” He asked in a sickening sweet tone. Jackie rolled her eyes then turned back to the mess of what was once her survival kit on her cot. “Ruttin’ arrogant, smug-ass Jack Savage!”

As the Jeep pulls away he sees the silhouette of the buck behind the wheel as the doe skunk bends down toward his, “I can’t believe I almost slept with that tail chasing…” Jackie yells to no one but the sound of the jeeps engine driving off.

Her phone gave off a chime as her screen went to an eerie green with a pop up of mission parameters and a countdown clock of five minutes. “Shit!” She grabbed her kit, opened her side drawer and pulled out a small sidearm check the safety and put it in a holster on the front of her suits web gear. Inside a locker was her helmet and gloves then she ran the few meters to her waiting chopper. A ground team was topping her fuel.

“Only half tanks, long range tanks and more fuel will be aboard the Nautigal, good luck Ma’am”

“Thanks corporal” Jack put her paw on a biometrics plate on the side of the helicopter and it immediately lit up as it recognized her. The canopy lifted and slid forward allowing her in.

The ocelot corporal had two flashlights he made and engines start by rotating his one and pointing the other toward the runway. All Checks had been made so Jackie brought the Dragon to life as the turbines whined. She lifted the helo about 5 meters then dipped the nose towards the end of the runway and applied power.

Jack had just removed the doe skunk’s blouse as the thatch roof of his bungalow was blown almost to shreds by Jackie's helo passing overhead by only a couple of meters at 100 knots. The doe skunk screamed and as skunks tend to do, used her one defense that she was genetically given. “Rut,… I ruttin, deserved that, oh hell honey, I am sorry but I need to hit the showers before I head to HQ”

Jackie rolled the dragon hard up and over gaining about 300 meters in altitude. Not enough to get above the center ridgeline of the island, thus putting her within the search arcs of the radars along the Cubana southern coast but enough to get a lock on the Nautigal’s navigation beacon. She could have engaged Darkstar but she needed to practice her passive systems avoidance techniques and no time then being only a few dozen miles from friendly waters, as well as land air and sea assets. Suddenly she received a couple of spikes on her ATAS,

‘ _Damn, Cubana cruiser in the straights clearing south of Jamaika, what the hell are they doing this far south? Probably heading back from Ponduras_ ’.

One of the spikes got long as it locked onto her for a seconded before she dropped the nose over the ridge and headed toward the south Caribbean sea hugging the islands jungle about 10 meters above the trees. The ATAS was clear. The moon was rising in the north west but it would be hidden by the island of Jamaika.

There she was, 5 kilometers south-southwest, the 500 meter cargo container ship Nautigal—its deck stacked several containers high with cargo making the doe wonder how the behemoth managed to stay afloat without capsizing.

“Clown fish to Sea Lion, how’s the fishing?” Jackie broadcast on her radio on a marine-ban channel.

“Not good, not good, lots of sharks in the water tonight… we have an empty hold but the beer is cold”

“Okay Sea Lion, get what you mean about the sharks, but would really like a beer, maybe I can meet you on my way back north.”

“Aye Clown Fish we be looking for you coming out of the doldrums, tell some old tales.”

“Put a spot of tea on for me then, Clown fish out.”

Judy was not great at acting, she knew she did not sound much like a sea captain of a fishing trawler but her ride was bit of an impromptu set up when they had found out there had been a security leak within the Free Mammals Air Force Support Units tasked to help Ghost Squadron. So now she was going to approach the container ship from the south or out of the equator side, the doldrums as sailors would call it, and land in between a huge gap in the center of the containers on the foredeck. She would have to make a decent onto a moving ship with container about 6 meters from her main rotor — as her instructor would say, a real pucker situation. The dragon went feet wet about 5 meters above the water at almost 200 knots. Damned she loved this machine. The sea was calm but for whitecaps about 1 meters or so and at this speed, this close to the water it looked like glass. The turbine temps were getting near redline though still safe in the hot Caribbean heat so she backed down to 130 knots. 2 kilometers off her port her sensors picked up a surface target; she slewed her FLIR camera to take a look. “Hmmm, Sea Lion we have a go fast looking to make bank heading just off your nose.” Jackie banked the dragon slightly toward the target.

“Yep, we got them on radar, they should see us soon and turn to pass behind us. We don’t want to call it in to the Coast Guard until you get on board.”

A ‘go fast’ was a converted cigarette boat with everything stripped out of the hull, usually painted black and with a load out of four to six 450hp outboard engines on the back. These were used by drug and mammal smugglers between South and North Animerica. They also had sophisticated Doppler radar onboard which could be a problem.

“Going Dark” is all Jackie said as Nautigal gave a single “Roger” in reply.

Jackie engage the Darkstar stealth system on the dragon and increased speed to 180 knots. She rolled toward the southwest to gain distance from the go-fast boat and sure enough they must have seen the silhouette of the cargo ship as the turned on their radar then turned to follow Jackie. They could not see her or detect her digital footprint but she would have to gain quite amount of distance before she could turn east again. The moon’s light was hidden behind Jamaika but its reflection across the open ocean was more than enough to allow the drug runners night vision goggles to see the horizon like daytime. She needed to be far enough away that to them she could be anything, a bird, most likely as she would not have a radar footprint and night vision goggles made it difficult to judge distance. She had gained about 4 kilometers before she felt comfortable to parallel the Nautigal’s course. After only a few minutes she turned north again and slowed to 80 knots. Time to check her systems for landing and enjoy a short ride in. the moon was now cresting Jamaika and its reflection was being absorbed and redirected by the Darkstar Dragonskin. Every now and then a few brilliant diamonds would appear along the sea like the moon had been shattered into a billion pieces, Jackie’s eyes grew wide as a pod of dolphins broke the surface chasing the diamonds. She let her sensors follow the pod as she past. A signal in her headset let her know her target was just ahead. “Clownfish looking for a beer and a place to sit.” She pulled up on the collective while adding power to gain 200 meters. She could see the light shape of the Nautigal against the dark of the sea under the infrared when a brilliant glowing rectangle appeared between containers of the foredeck. Jackie turned off the FLIR so she could see normal. Below her massive cargo lights had been turned on in the gap between the containers. That was her landing pad. Her helmet visor would adjust for the lights automatically and the computers helped guide her with the moving ship. The seas were light so the massive ship did not roll but once her rotor wash began to interfere with her flight dynamics the landing became quite shaky until her wheels hit the deck. She hit the turbines shut down and the Rotor brake to bring the dragon to a fast stop.

As she sat in the cockpit she suddenly realized that since her ordeal with Jack she really needed a shower as her body just felt like she needed to crawl out of her fur… damn you Jack Savage.” She placed her helmet off to the side and took off her gloves. The side canopy slid open and three muzzles reached in to welcome her … oh god’s they were sniffing.. “Ah Ziggy, Iggs, Riggy, how you been…”

“Did you leave the canopy open while we were gone, smells… ?”

“Must be something I picked up in the dark on my hindpaws… s…sorry boys.” She stammered, “Hey but how’s my favorite crew.”

“You over revved on that landing, and how close to the water were you, there is pitting all over the bottom skin?

“love you too, guys.” Jackie smiled at the prairie dog mechanics as they scurried all over the Dragon. With a loud clang the stars disappeared above them as the ships crane lowered two containers over the top of the gap making it look like a solid deck of containers from stem to stern.

“Evenin’ lass. That be some fine flyin. Welcome aboard the Nautigal. Captain Spikes at your service my lady.” The giant sea otter lifted his cap and gave Jackie a kiss on her paw.

“Why thank you Captain, just Jackie. Ah we were told to keep it on a first name basis though Lieutenant Jackie sounds odd so just Jackie is fine.”

“Hold on here, who is this and what in heaven's name is this, this contraption doing on one of Biglivelannici North Sea Logistics ships?” interrogated a very angry shrew in a pinned striped suit on the shoulder of a polar bear wearing nothing but a French-cut bathing suit that left little to the imagination.

Jackie looked at the shrew then at the bear, what the bear was wearing or not wearing and considering her recent state of being, just pulled her ears in front of her eyes.

“Mr. Schrewvonson, I have told you if you are going to have Oswald carry you around my ship he needs to wear some proper clothing. This is not a beach on the Riviera.”

“Captain Spikes, it’s a huge boat and he’s a polar bear and you could melt down a Jumbo pop in seconds down here. Now back to the question…”

The captain held out what appeared to be an invoice with a check attached to it. “She is a paying customer and that is legal freight.”

The shrew held up his spectacles to look at an invoice from obviously a ZIA shell company with a hefty government check… but business was business and his Job was to make sure the books on one of Mr. Antoine Allowicious Bekhan Biglivelannici’s Cargo ship’s balanced out for custom’s and mostly for Mr. Biglivelannici himself. “Well very good.” The bear took the invoice and put it in a briefcase. “Welcome aboard the Nautigal madam. Captain make sure she gets the VIP suite will you.” Then the shrew and polar bear disappeared into the isles of containers.

“This is going to be our most profitable trip yet Oswald.” But the bear just gave a deep rumble back to the shrew’s point. “What do you mean what does it matter. If I can impress the big boss maybe we can get off this floating can and back to nice and cold Tundratown. Did I ever tell you I met Franasca Fruella Biglivelannici, the most gorgeous shrew in all of Zootopia.” Another even more cynical grunt from the bear. “I know who she is, but I tell you there was a connection there and we shared a bowl of worms out on the veranda. It was just over a business lunch, she needed help understanding financials for one of her startups but…” the bear gave a rumbling yawn. “Oh, just you wait, I will marry that girl.”

Jackie starred at the two with a confused look and the odd one sided conversation then turned to the captain, “Who’s Mr. Biglivelannici.

“The most powerful mammal in Tundratown, Zootopia, and owner of the shipping lines that owns this ship… and” the Captain looked around, “an artic shrew about the size of my paw that bosses around a literal army of polar bears like they were his unruly kits. Well come on hun, let’s get you settled, we have a long boat ride ahead of us and these old sea legs need to grab a chair and some coffee.” He offered his elbow and she gave her paw.

“Thank you Captain, I could use that tea”

It’s in the kettle steeping right now.” The old otter said with a smile. “You can tell me how a young lil’ bunny like yourself has found her way out to us old scoundrels of the sea. I am sure it is a good tale among tails.”

“Scoundrels, I think my life is full of them sir.”

“Well, some of us scoundrels just can’t help ourselves ya know, unless a pretty lass tames our wanderlust.”

“Have you been tamed my captain?”

He pulled out a silver locket, “Ah lassy, from the day I laid eyes on her.”

**_Back at Joint FMNAF Air Base HQ:_ **

“Nice you could finely join us Mr. Savage…ruttin hell mammal, did you get caught sleeping with a skunk’s wife?.”

Jack’s visit to the showers had not been completely successful and the sensitive nose of the wolf looking very cross at him right now proved it as the mammal stepped back several steps. “Well not quite colonel Jessup sir… I uh, well you could say I was unfortunately in the wrong place at the wrong time when Lieutenant Hopps made her very low exit over the mammals’ quarters huts sir. It just happened to startle a young lady that you sent to bring me here.”

“Hmmm, I take it corporal Mephilia is alright?” ask Sergeant Major Bogo.

“Yes, she is very much so, just startled and a bit upset for letting her defenses… well, I should probably visit her later and make sure she doesn’t blame herself.” Jack said with his duplicitous smirk.

“Before you do that Savage, can you explain why one of my pilots has just landed a nearly billion Zollar prototype aircraft onto one of Antoine Allowicious Biglivelannici’s cargo ships!” the now snarling wolf demanded as his fist slammed down onto a digital table display showing a satellite feed with the Nautigal’s current position and a pop-up screen of Mr. Big’s back ground information scrolling alongside.

“I assure you Colonel Jessup, it’s the most secure transport available. Mr. Big has many such cargo vessels and they are all tight as a drum when it comes to their paperwork and customs certifications. Not one has ever been suspecting of hauling illegal cargo though we are aware that this one has… on our behalf” Jack tapped the screen to bring up the captain’s profile. “Captain spike is ex-military. He has been hauling cargo for the ZIA for years and there are Dragon Fly pilots on board as well. The Nautigal is our asset and as long as Big is paid, Hopps is on the most secure ship on the sea.”

The Wolf turned to Bogo, “Did you know about this as well?”

The large water buffalo just gave a shrug, “My Brother knows Big, He’s no problem.”

“So Hopps is on a pirate ship with cut throats and scoundrels… great.”

Jack Savage just stared at the satellite feed of the ship moving along the open sea, “If you knew anything about the Hopps sisters, she’s right at home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will hopefully be uploaded by the weekend of Jan. 16th. Its been a very intense couple of weeks at work coming off of the holidays and I have too many chefs wanting their own soup served up. Plus I have half of my family working the front-lines within the hospitals of this pandemic and I am like my mother before me the one who tends to take the stress on both heart and soul. Posting this story has been a release point. I do not know if the hits mean you out there are reading it. I would like to think so, as I have enjoyed so many authors' works on their takes of so many different stories they love...not just Zootopia.
> 
> Thanks for your time. Comments and critiques welcome...always.


	10. F-orward O-perating B-ase ‘Lango la roho za mto’  the Gate of the River Spirits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lieutenant Jackie Hopps first leg of her mission into Anafrika where she will meet up with her support team. Along the way we learn a bit more about her bother-in-laws; Jack & Thomas Savage, and the team waiting to support her mission. A very extraordinary group of mammals that have come together with one goal; to make sure that she completes her mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Brackets] designate radio communications
> 
> I have taken very rough translations from various languages and modified them in some cases. As I do not have the time or capability to do thorough translation research for a fanfiction I prefer to scavenge parts and call it artistic license. Its Fanfiction after all.  
> Please be kind with technical critiques, I had to fire my editor…(me) and hire a new one, (also me) You can see a problem here. But respectful and helpful comments of the editorial nature are welcome also.

# F-orward O-perating B-ase

# ‘Lango la roho za mto’ the Gate of the River Spirits

**_Somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean aboard the Nautigal, Approx. 3 years 6 months before present day:_ **

“Captain, we have a small contact bearing 165 degrees, two kilometers.” 

The captain acknowledged the executive officer then picked up a pair of large binoculars and scanned the southern horizon. It was 04:23 hours, about 4:30 am, so the western horizon had a faint orange glow but the sea was still too dark to sea much of anything.

“Are you sure?”

“Small target, wait, it’s an aerial target flying about 80 knots maybe 10 to 15 meters…”

“That’s our contact Billy. Turn us into the wind and slow us to 20 knots. I will let our guest know that her package has arrived.” The otter stepped off the bridge and headed down toward the officer’s crew quarters. The first partially open hatch was a small state room where Jackie Hopps laying her bed. Since being aboard ship she prefer to sleep with her state room window partially open and her passageway hatch ajar as well. She could not get used to the confined space of the small cabins and the flow of the see breeze through her state room made it easier for her to sleep. The captain gave a knock on the hatch, "Miss Hopps, Miss Hopps, we have visitors, you need to get up I’m afraid.”

“Uh, oh, thanks Captain, what time is it?” the rousing rabbit doe asked as she looked out the dawn skies.

“O4:30, but back in Bunny Burrow I would Imagine it is yet to be 10:30 at night. Sorry for the early wake up call but our guest will be on deck in a couple minutes.”

“On deck?” she looked up from her book confused.

“Meet you up at the helo-pad, hatch 6-F, deck six… just follow the signs from the stern stairs.”

“Thanks Captain, I’ll get dressed and be right up.”

Jackie thought about getting dressed into her officer greens but then after all, she was on a covert mission on a non-military ship, so what the hell, her khaki shorts and sleeveless blouse tied into a halter over her crop top would have to do. For such a modern vessel the AC really had issues, but she loved the sea breeze, so she left the window hatch open a bit anyways. _‘Hmm, they are turning the ship and slowing quite a bit. That’s odd, maybe they need to drop a line rather than land?’_ Jackie slipped on her hind-paw protectors and headed up toward the bridge deck.

Jackie found the Captain and the executive officer, an impeccably groomed sea mink who always wore his spotless white officers uniform, waiting at the open rear hatch to the bridge deck. The outside spotlights from the helipad flooded the passageway. “Evening miss Hopps,” the mink tilted his cap.

“Evening Commander Slythe.”

The captain released a phone from the bulkhead then turned to a capybara standing in the hatchway holding two signal-wand lights. “Watch yourself Digby, low rotors, only 3 and half meters.”

“Aye, Captain,” the capybara confirmed and moved out onto the edge of the steel grated platform that made up the small helipad. It was obviously design for small personal helicopters, possibly to bring aboard local harbor pilots for navigating into various harbors or to bring out the ships mail when the distance from shore was too great for a skiff. Jackie looked out the windows in search of the aircraft; though her sensitive ears could pick up a high pitch motor and the whine of a tail rotor, she could as of yet see any navigation lights. Soon she heard the telltale ‘thwap-thwap’ of rotor blades as a very small open cockpit craft with two mammals came within a dozen meters of the ships massive deck lights. The Capybara gave cues to flare with his wands for the landing though the small craft probably did not need it, as it settled softly on its rubberized pontoons and quickly shut down it’s engine.

Jackie stepped up onto the helipad with the captain to welcome the two mammals aboard the small aircraft. The craft was small indeed; a simple single tube aluminum frame that had a twin cylinder gas engine, small plastic fuel canister, two open air aluminum seats. The controls were basic mechanical controls with a small counsel that had dials, probably for fuel and rotor RPM. Jackie waited as the single rotor came to a stop. The capybara moved quickly forward with tie-downs that snapped to D-ring connection points on the floats as the pilot and passenger unstrapped themselves and took off their goggles and headsets.

“Thomas!” Jacky yelled above the noise of the sea, “Honey suckles and carrots, what are you doing flying this, this modified bicycle out here. The entire device looked to be disassembled by removing a few pins like the kind we used to connect implements to the three-point tractor hitches back home?”

The hare had removed his headset and grabbed a small satchel strapped to the back of his seat, “I came to check on my favorite sister-in-law, and this is a piece of kit we keep around for …oof” is all he managed before he was swooped up in a rabbit size hug.

“You are related to this scoundrel Miss Hopps?” Captain Spikes asked with a smirk as he looked over the craft as well.

“Scoundrel? Ha, I am… okay well maybe a scoundrel, but a devilishly handsome one at that and I managed to catch the eye of the most beautiful maiden in all of the burrows.” The hare shot back as he shook the captains paw, "How are you, old friend?”

“Fine, just fine but you must be a rogue to slander such a doe as this maiden miss Hopps here.”

“Okay boys, enough with your saber tongues, Captain I will agree with Thomas that my sister is by far the most beautiful doe in bunny burrow but how this shaggy buck won her heart?” Jacky gave an exaggerated shrug with a dopey smile. “Who is your handsome and mysterious looking friend, Tom?”

The passenger of the small aircraft had just finished helping to tie it down the other side and was taking off the emergency life vest that would inflate if a water landing had to be made. He gave a bow to the group and flapped his ears a bit as the headphones had caused them to fold back, “My name, ‘Baada ya jua la Dhahabu’ but you call me Baxter, is easier, takes not so much time. You like?” The Caracal cat gave a razor sharp toothy smile as he held out a golden paw for the rabbit.”

“Baxter, Baxter is wonderful, I must say you have the most amazing eyes and ears Baxter.” she fawned upon looking into the feline’s gold eyes. “I have never met… well…”

“Ah, mzoga, oh, how you say? Caracal.” Baxter specified for the doe. “Like a wee lynx but very graceful you think not?” the cat gave a twisting higher than she think she could have, then landing in a bow to kiss the doe on her paw.

“Oh my, the _savoir faire of the scoundrels aboard this ship could be too much for a fair maiden.” Jackie booped the cat on the nose with and audible “boop,” then looked to the rest, “come on boys, lets see why you are here before there is a fight for my honor.”_

Thomas laughed at Jackie’s play acting as Baxter stood dumbfounded by the booping of his nose. “Come on you lanky cat?”

The caracal let out a sneeze that flattened his ears and agitated his tale, “What is ‘boop?’” he asked the hare as he sneezed again.

“Captain, can we commandeer the CIC for a bit?” Tom asked the giant sea otter.

“Would you give me a choice Mr., Savage?” the otter lead the way up toward the navigation room.

“From one pirate to another, I would make it worth your while to say yes of course.”

“Of course.” The captain turned to his executive officer, “Commander Slythe, continue on our original heading and speed and if you would have the mess send up some tea and coffee if you don’t mind sir, and if we have any anchovy pizza left… anyone else?”

“I love anchovy pizza!” Tom mused, licking his lips.

“What?” Jackie just turned and looked at the hare.

“Hey Hopps, don’t knock it until you try it, besides I thought you had to try all kinds of pred food in survival school?”

“Fine, I’ll just take the lil’ buggers off.”

Just behind the main bridge was the heart of the ships navigation center. What even MR. Big did not know about one of his own freighters is that this ship was not merely a ZIA and FMN military asset but a combat vessel disguised as a freighter flying pretending to be under control of the largest crime family in Tundra Town. The navigation room was also the ships CIC or Combat Information Center and as the mammals entered the darkened space they found themselves in a high-tech fighting bridge with satellite feeds and communications systems you might find on an Arleigh Burke class destroyer—just at a smaller scale, as all the systems were manned by rats or mice.

“Myles, my darling…”

“Thomas, sweetheart, its been so long. Have you come to take me off this tin can?” the mouse that was on the digital table in the center of the room squeaked as she ran over and leapt onto the hares outstretched paw.

“Thomas, or should I start calling you Jack Jr. now?” Jackie asked looking back and forth in a state of confusion.

“Oh please, we don’t need another Jack Savage around here.” Reluso, also a mouse, threw up his small arms, “but still, Captain Savage, stop flirting with Myles before I have a word with Mrs. Savage.”

“You heard him Myles, he sounds jealous.”

“Enough small talk everyone, Thomas, first, where did you come from on that toy out here and what did you come to show us, then we can catch up.”

“All professional now Lieutenant Hopps? Okay, Where I came from is classified. Baxter, can you plug in your intel? Oh, pardon me, Baxter here is a refugee from Sarrangi, one of the very few that made it out and one of their former Council Guards.”

“Shra tesh, council of old cowardly mammals. They gave up the Royal Family for their own lives. Let’s Ziberian spies infiltrate like slugs. Secret army of filthy dog soldiers, spah! Stinking Hyenas!”

The caracal plugged in a flash drive and Reluso pulled up the data. Tom then began explaining what was shown, “As far as we have learned from our feline friend and other inside sources the UMMD infiltrated Sarrangi long before the attacks in West Anafrika and Katshmire Zindia. The bio-toxin used in those attacks and several others we believe were produced at a genetics laboratory deep in the upper sacred jungles of Sarrangi. Even Baxter here has not been there as it has been so closed off to the outside world. Even to the southern kingdom of Sarrangi where the council of Elders resides.”

“What is this spot on the river that appears out of the jungle? It looks almost mammal made, like a very overgrown old barn back on the farm.”

That’s close Hopps. That was the last civilized settlement that lead into the jungle abandoned almost 100 years ago. That is your FOB. Forward Operating Base - Spirit. The place is called ‘Lango la roho za mto’ the Gate of the River Spirits named after the falls you can see coming out of the jungles here on the opposite side of the sag. There over the sag in the river bend is a dual track trestle that leads into a ten-kilometer tunnel cut into the most rugged jungle terrain on the planet. At the turn of the industrial revolution the southern kingdom became greedy and wanted to sell more of the rich minerals, diamonds, titanium, platinum and many more riches and tried to send in prospectors from outside companies. The Royal Family had the tunnel blown up. There is no roads or no known trails into that jungle. The northern Kingdom does have modern defensive capabilities for air defense apparently though the jungles and canyons are so dense and deep they cannot be seen. So, that ghost town is your FOB and where my team will meet you.”

Baxter used his paw to scroll the satellite image farther north. About 50 kilometers there was a large opening in the jungle canopy allowing the deep canyon to be visible down to the wide flowing river. “That is your entry point Lieutenant. Our source has pinpointed the lab about 150 kilometers north on one of three branches of the “Mto wa uzima” Baxter looked up at the doe, “River of Life”. That flows into the Zibamba River that you will be following to get to the FOB.

“Use the Lacewings to search ahead. It shouldn’t be hard to find as the information we have shown the complex has been expanded to house a Battalion of Temuchin Bellmorah’s forces of Hyenas. That means communications, defenses, generators. Once you find the compound you don’t mess around you hit the target area with your marking rockets and get out. That’s it. You don’t look back.”

The Tea, coffee and pizza along with a well-made salad of various greens, grasses and vegetables, was brought up for the group. The mess had become familiar with Lieutenant Hopp’s taste and large container ships such as this were well stocked for their diverse crew. Baxter went over some more of the intelligence and satellite imagery. Captain Savage caught up a bit with the mouse Dragonfly pilots that he apparently knew quite well from previous missions.

“Captain, your Dragonflies need to get the Lieutenant in country along the Kamaroon coast to the Zibamba River. We have a limited window so Captain I will leave your entry point planning up to you. Baxter here can help you with some logistics. I am going to have some family catch up talk with my sis here.”

“Thomas, we need to. Rendezvous with the Sea Serpent in 06:30 boss.” The caracal reminded the hare officer.

“So much for classified. Guess, time for a beer then?”, Thomas looked at Jackie as they ducked out of the CIC, “I have pics of Elsie and the rest of the new kits.”

Thomas sat on the fold-down bed in Jackie’s state room as she pulled a couple of beers out from the small wall refrigerator above the desk. He gave her his phone with the picture gallery open, “Oh my gosh Thomas, Elsie has gotten so big, and she is absolutely beautiful.”

“Like her mother for sure.” The buck beamed.

Jackie scrolled through, “I see Jamie is as picture shy as ever.”

“Yeah, you know, the ol’ hybrid buck, hare, rabbit feet and ears too big until he grows into them. His mom and I tell him he looks fine and he is a great soccer player, he even has several doe friends, cute ones too”

Jackie gave him a smirk. “Oh, don’t you start with that.”

“And, oh my so this is the new litter. You two have some pretty good genes.”

Thomas’ ears turned red, he was the shy one out of the two Savage brothers. “Again, they get their looks from mom…”

“Off of that Savage, you are one handsome hare. So, tell me who these precious kits are?” she asked as she sat down beside her brother -in-law. It was nice to lean into family and feel some connection. “Well this lil' doe with the black stripe up her nose, that’s Bonnie Sue”

Jackie gave an approving chortle.

“And the buck here, that is misbehaving, he is Jeb Stuart…”

“What suck-ups you two are.”

“Whaaat…” they pushed each other like old littermates, “Anyway, this lil' girl, she is…”

“Oh, she is going to be a heart breaker Thomas…”

“Yeah, yeah she is… like her big sis and her mom… she is Ashlynelle Merrythial Savage.”

“Wow, where is that name from?”

Thomas looked out the stateroom window into the morning rays that were breaking through the clouds to shout across the sea… “It was our mothers name… I never knew her, well I feel her sometimes I think but I just want to remember her, honor her in this way.”

“It’s a beautiful name Thomas, and she is such a beautiful brindle doe.”

Thomas put away his phone and gave Jackie a side hug. “Thanks, I miss them all. It was a difficult birth too. Something about the hare-rabbit issues again…”

“What! Why are you here Tom, you’ve done enough, you should be home with Jill and the kits—”

“She’s fine Jackie, I tried and she was going stir crazy herself. Two of your younger sisters are helping, in fact there has been plenty of volunteers willing to get off the farm and go down to Miramar and help her out. Anyway, I think this is her last run. She is going to finish her commission and just consult.”

“That’s great Tom, but… you… you take so many chances…”

“And you don’t?” Thomas looked at her sideways. “Anyway, time is getting short, I wanted to relay a message from Jack..”

“That ass…”

“Jackie, he told me everything. He never lies to me. He’s, well he is and ass and he knows it, hell he almost threw in his commission. Wanted to go right to Bonnie—”

“That would be so stupid.”

“I told him that. Look, when it comes to you… and well Judy too, Jack is an emotional train wreck. He cares about the both of you and well, he just has no idea how to deal with those emotions.”

“Really, Jack Savage, the suave hare that hit on every available Hopps doe and well every doe in the burrows…”

“All a mask. Never went out with any though did he. Just flirted. But he hung around three of them an awful lot…”

“Yeah… he did, I guess.” Jackie looked contemplative. “But you stole Jill out from under him!”

“Oh yeah, I have no Idea how that happened.” Tom shook his head. “I don’t deserve her, probably never will. Jackie, you ever notice though, how he treated the two of you different, you and Judy?”

“Well,” Jackie looked down at her paws like a nervous kit, “I was a bit jealous, to be honest. He seemed to be closer to Judy… I, I shouldn’t have felt that way because… well because we all wanted him to pay attention to us… you know, to notice us… Since you were taken of course,” she added with a little side hug to Tom.

Tom gave a bashful smile back. “You wanted him to ask you out… even though you were just a teen. He maybe teased you girls but he would never do that. You know that, right?” Tom asked looking sideways at the doe.

“I do now… I was just a stupid girl back then.”

“Okay, anyway he always told me that Judy was kind of… well to use his words, like him, broken inside. He would never say how, just that he understood how alone she felt. But as for you… well and Judy really, he sees you both actually I should say as sisters… kind of… but you he always said he regretted not missing a fleeting chance of happiness that has escaped if he could have had a different life.”

Tom looked out toward the sea. “And that’s my fault.”

Jackie was following his blank stare until then, “Your fault, how can you blame yourself for Jack choosing to build a wall around himself just to protect you?

“We were home from school, I graduated high school at sixteen… you know if you read my file my aptitude was high, Jack’s was higher, he only put up with classes to keep an I on his little brother. We were living in a warehouse and working at a bicycle messenger service to make ends meet. Ran into some goons when Jack took us down some shortcut alley. We always traveled in pairs. Jack took them on by himself as usual. I wanted to help but he took the brunt of it. I was so angry. I told him to teach me to fight but he refused. Said he wanted me to have a life off the streets someday. He was a good street fighter…but I was just done with it all. I saw a sign; I walked past Jack standing there with his bloody nose, left my bike… walked across the street to a building that said recruiting station.”

Jackie just looked wide eyed. “What did Jack…”

“Well Jack had always made the first move. Not this time. Still he couldn’t let me join up alone… and here we are.”

“Here…we… are..” She parroted quietly

“You know Jack tried to pull your ticket, he didn’t want you on this mission, I think he’s worried.”

“That arrogant ass hat—”

“Calm down, he changed his mind, I think Jill convinced him that no one, especially you would forgive him. But he made me promise to wait for you, no matter how long.”

The intercom crackled for a second then came to life, “Captain Savage to the helideck.”

Jackie Had no time to really think about all this, if she just ran with her emotions she would say something she would regret so she cooled herself and said, “I’ll walk you up brother. And yes, Jill is way above your class, but I will tell you a secret. She absolutely adores you, you stupid striped hare. So, you better stay safe for her and those kits or I will fly home, grabbed Judy and we will come kick your ass.”

Jackie watched the small aircraft head off toward the horizon as she contemplated the mission ahead, her family behind, and a future life she could not even begin to imagine.

**_Three weeks later, flying at 120 knots, 04:30 hours along the_** **_Zibamba River valley:_**

Jackie was in automatic mode, just letting herself guide the Dragon around the twisting river. The advanced sensors followed her IHADSS helmet wherever she looked and projected an almost daylight image onto her helmet HUD display. Automated emergency avoidance systems constantly updated at millions of times a second. This allowed her to reduce her work load and think back over her time on the Nautigal; thoughts of Jack and Thomas Savage, her sisters Jill and Judy, Myles, poor Myles and Reluso…

How did a country rabbit doe end up so far from home? It reminded her of a movie she saw when she was a child, a young lamb from the poor south who hates her life gets swept up in a twister to land in a fairytale world of witches and dreams; having to seek out a team of misfits and go on a journey hoping to find her way back to a home she wishes she never left. _“Well,”_ Jackie said to herself as she looks up through the blur of the rotors _, “I am flying to a mysterious land on a whirlwind. But I will agree, there is no place like home. Come on Jackie, let’s keep our ears in the game and get the mission done.”_

A beeping went off in her ears, “95 kliks to the FOB, time to drop the outboard tanks.” She was trained to narrate her mission into the flight recorder as she went. It was a way to keep an ongoing mission log. When the next bend came up she pulled up on the cyclic and collective into a high rolling curve then hit the release for the drop tanks, allowing the mostly empty fuel tanks to spin off into the jungle. The retractable sponsons for the external storage systems folded back into side compartments that opened on the fuselage. Jackie could feel the now sleeker helicopter’s performance gain a substantial increase without the drag or the buffeting from the main rotor above. It also made the Dragon much stealthier and with Darkstar engaged it would be almost impossible for most modern search radar systems to see the digital footprint of the aircraft. The sound of the main rotor was reduced as well without the outboard sponsons and in the twisting valleys Jackie was basically a ghost.

[Dodger to Brovo 6-1, Copy?] She may be too far out and still too deep in the river valleys for her FOB team to pick up her signal. So, it was not worth the chance to keep transmitting. 80 kliks out and she could see the rising sun hitting the tops of the clouds off in the distance. 60 kliks and a hard turn. She turned off Darkstar. There were no settlements this deep and it was less taxing on the systems. She would be landing soon and she need the advance team that set up the FOB to see her coming if she received their beacon. 40 kliks; another 10 and she would pop up and make a call.

There— around the next been was a pocket in the jungle. A clearing up on the savannah side with large trees to give cover. She pulled up into a hover just above the bank.

[Dodger to Bravo 6-1…]

[Bravo 6-1 actual, Dodger is 5 by 5.]

[Bravo actual, squawk ident code]

A series of what appeared to be gibberish came across her left multi-function display. After the text stopped Jacky punched in a decoded encryption key and the code became clear.

[Bravo actual, ident code verified. I am 35 kliks out] Jackie turned on her short-range transponder.

[Have you sis, will light a candle when you are close]

The lax in military protocol was honestly a bit welcoming for Jackie after her almost 3 hours of twisting and turning low level flight. Her fuel would be on reserves in another 60 kliks and to hear Thomas’ voice settled her nerves. She dipped the Dragon’s nose back into the river valley to gain speed and looked forward to a few hours of rest.

[5 kliks out, Bravo send me a sign…] she said in a sing song voice.

Just then her TWS blurted out target as it locked the sensors on a heat signature shooting straight up. It was not a normal flare but a rocket design to show no visible trace of propulsion. It did have a high temperature core that the Dragon’s sensors locked onto and then Jackie could trace back to its source.

[Thanks for the candle bro] She pulled hard up to 200 meters. [I have your IR signals now.]

[Hello lady… glad you could make it to my homeland. Just follow my awesomeness]

Jackie could see the spinning caracal and his IR lights in each paw on what appeared to be a pierhead out in the sag. [My my kitty, have you met Bravo’s brother, you two would be a mental match.] She would have to maneuver her helo under an arched rail trestle that had become so overgrown with vines and other jungle foliage, it looked like it was a natural part of the landscape, or it would if not for the flat top with old rail cars that were being engulf by the jungle as well. The Dragon flared just 5 meters above the river sag before she did a hover taxi under the trestle and over to the pierhead. She settled the craft down on its landing gear cut the turbines then hit the rotor brake and removed her helmet. It was good to be on the ground again.

Before Jackie could get unstrapped and out of the Dragon two prairie dogs, a wildebeest and a very tough looking warthog all dressed in the green with tiger black stripes of the 64th special operations division, used large saplings with camo netting to cover the Dragon completely. So, this was Toms team. And a very motley crew they appeared to be. She should fit right in… _“Okay Jackie, a group of professional bad-asses and one country bunny… oorah.”_

The two prairie dogs started to go over the Dragon with meticulous detail, one even checking Jackie’s foot holds for her as she climbed out. “Bogo thought you would be comfortable with these fella’s. The speak Anafrikaans, but they are familiar with the Dragon’s systems. Zig is there older cousin. They actually work forf the SAAF on the Rooivalk” Tom looked at one of the prairie dogs to make sure he pronounced it right

“That’s Afrikaans for Red Falcon, I did a check ride in one.” Jackie smiled at the prairie dog that now had the engine cowling open and was checking fluid levels. “They should know their stuff.”

“So, Tom, this is your band of merry mammals?” Jackie looked at the rag tag group. They actually looked rather rough. Their Army Combat Uniforms were a mess, and their fur, even the warthog was bad for a warthog. “Well, there is Baxter, he seems to be the only one that has kept himself groomed.”

The Warthog gave a gruff snort, “That prissy cat keeps a grooming kit in his ruck even when we go on patrol.”

“Nguruwe mwenye ghadhabu. You just jealous of my wonderful royal coat, Naguru.”

“I AM NOT AN ANGRY PIG, you arrogant kitty cat, and you are not one of the royals so go scratch.”

Jackie stepped back about 4 steps and covered her ears until she bumped into the wildebeest, “Oh, sorry I , uh …”

“Sayitsheni Wokuqala Wonkonkoona, at your service leftenant Hopps” the wildebeest snapped a salute as he spoke his rank of First Sergeant in his native tongue and pronounce lieutenant in the old English. She saluted back and realized that though this soldier too was rough from his journey he was clear eyed and ready for any task. He also looked more than any of them to be the veteran of the bunch.

“Sergeant Wonkokoona? Did I say that right?”

“Well enough ma’am, can we get you a drink or some food.”

“Thank you Sergeant. I am fine for the moment. My stomach is always a bit queasy after a long flight. Need to get my land legs back.”

“Understood ma’am.” The wildebeest soldier finished helping with the camo net, walked over to a large back pack made for a mammal of his size and pulled what appeared to be a root of some kind out of one of the pockets then broke a section off. “You chew on this. It is good for all mammals. Go on now, make you feel good after such a journey.”

Jackie nodded to be polite and though she tried not to sniff her small rabbit nose could not help itself.

“Bunnies need to chew, correct? Good for that too.” The Sergeant looked down on her with a fatherly warmth. “It is called tonaka root, all Zulu warriors for many many generations used it to revive spirit and body. It has many medicinal properties but does not make the mind unlcear like that cuffu kitty.”

With that the sergeant went back to his task.

“Jackie took a small nibble of the odd root. It had no real scent though the taste reminded her of the smell of coffee and burnt toast back in her grandpapa’s burrow. He would take a hearty grain bread and toast it almost black then dip it into his strong coffee seasoned with just a bit of cinnamon. Jackie would often take a taste from time to time. As she nibbled on the root she thought how odd it was that taste could bring out the memories of smells linked to things from her past. She did notice the soreness of her muscle from sitting for so long in her cockpit beginning to fade and her mind becoming clearer. She took one smaller nibble the took a plastic baggie she kept in her hip pocket—just one of those supplies she would keep, then placed the root in the baggie then back into the hip cargo pocket.

Jackie retrieved her ruck from behind her seat in the Dragon then made sure a few systems were checked out okay on one of the MFD panels. The morning sun was cresting the tops of the river valley as the sky had become a pale blue. 

“Well your ground crew I’ll let you meet later, they are pretty serious about their work, just like their cousins. We have one more we need to go pick up if you want to come with us up river just a bit.” Tom pointed to Baxter who was checking out the motors on a RIB, a fiberglass boat with heavy rubber float around the outside typically used by special forces and could be air dropped by parachute or transport helicopter. It had two 75 hp outboard engines with jet drive lower units instead of props, which made it more durable to run rivers with sections of rocky rapids. There were mounts for heavy machine guns up front and a belt fed grenade launcher in the rear. There was a center console with a stand-up backer for the driver and a communication kit with long range VHF and satellite communications.

“You all planning on riding out of here in this?” Jackie looked concerned at her brother-in-law.

“Well, we had another one but it didn’t survive the drop. It’s up in the town above us on the bluff. We may be able to patch it up but it’s not looking good.”

“When I get back from the recon flight the dogs could ride with me. It would be cramped but I could make it work.”

“Let’s just worry about you completing your mission for now.”

Baxter started the RIB and backed it away from the pier. The motors were extremely quiet Jackie noticed as the caracal opened the throttle and sped the craft across the small lake size sag of crystal clear water. The beauty of the jungle amazed the doe as it covered the skyscraper tall granite cliffs of the river valley. So many flora she had never imagined in her life. Even the vegetation now growing down in glorious bouquets from the old rail trestle looked like they had been design by the designers of the Majestic Gardens back in Savanah Central. The RIB came around the cliff side as the river turned into a series of diamond white falls cascading from several narrow passages in the jungle cliffs.

“That is ‘Lango la roho za mto’ the Gate of the River Spirits. And is why you cannot fly up river through jungle from here.” Baxter pointed out. Baxter brought the RIB to a standing position in the current about 50 meters downstream from the flowing crystal white wash. “Patomo should be her any moment if his GPS is correct.”

Jackie looked quizzical at the caracal trying to hold the boat in the current. “Look, look…” he pointed to the white cascading water as a large tannish-grey figure spewed out within the center flow about 10 meters above and splashed into the river. Baxter threw his paws up. “As you say… cannon ball!”

“What, who… who was that” Jackie began looking all around the RIB, “quick, look, he may be drowning you two!”

The caracal and hare just sat on the side of the float tubes, Thomas looking at his watch and Baxter taking a swig from his canteen.

“What is wrong with you two… we need to help—” suddenly two large hippo hooves came up and pulled the caracal into the river with a yowl from the golden feline. Jackie jumped to that side of the RIB to see the largest smile on the floating hippo with the soaked caracal sitting on his belly as the hippo did a gingerly back stroke.

“Me not swim you…”

“It looks like you swim Baxter” Jackie cut the cat off. Then she unzipped her flight suit and began pulling it off her shoulders.

“Jackie what the…”

“Miss Hopps” Thomas and Baxter covered their eyes, or made an effort to appear as such. Patomo just floated on his back. When Jackie had stripped down to her crop top and rather snug athletic shorts, she dove in the water and swam over to the hippo then placing one paw on the floating Patomo’s side she held the other out to one of his large pudgy hooved fingers and introduced herself, “Jackie Hopps.”

“I like her,” the large Hippopotamus replied as he waggled his small ears to shoo away a fly. “She’s not a wet kitty blanket. I am Patomo”

“When you get out of water, you dry in like…” Baxter swished his paw in the air and snapped his fingers, “I need to take special care to make my fur look good.”

“Royals huh.” Jackie just rolled her eyes and the hippo laughed so hard the caracal was shook off his belly.

“Okay, Okay, you two get back in the boat, Patomo, we will see you over at the camp.”

Jackie looked worried but Patomo reassured her, “I swim good, I swim many days fine. That’s what I do.” Then he dove under the water and after a couple of bubbles he was gone.

“He will probably beat us back, come on you two, get in before you become a crocodile’s lunch.”

Jackie and Baxter made record time getting back into the RIB. “That is not funny my friend. I hate those ugly monsters. Tom laughed as they headed back to camp.

As they pulled up to the old pier head Sergeant Wonkokoona reached out to help the three mammals moor the RIB then froze. He took the beret that was set between his horns and pulled it down over his eyes, “I am so sorry ma’am, Leftenant ma’am… I, I will go check the, well I will check the perimeter for hostiles.” He turned from his now full attention stance and marched off the pier up the old steps toward the settlement.

“Ah, did I offend the sergeant?’ Jackie looked horribly concerned at Naguru who was tying off the front of the RIB.

“He cannot see females in such a state of undress. He will get over it.” The warthog shrugged as if Jackie looked no different now than before.

“Wait, from his rank markings and language I assumed he the KwaZulu-Natal province area. Don’t most of their females prefer to go topless?”

“Very good Lieutenant Hopps, you have studied. Yes, you are correct but only when on tribal lands and not within the large communities. They respect very modest tradition around other cultures.”

The warthog pulled a worn photo from his ACU chest pocket. This is my mate. She is a good warrior and mother.”

“Jackie accepted the photo but before looking at the image she looked into the eyes of the burly warthog boar. His face had scars from battle and though his species is not one that she would call attractive, long ago when Jackie, Judy and Jill were still together and more and more mammals had begun to settle into the burrows they would sit at a picnic table in the burrows town square and talk about what beauty must be to other mammals. Jill, who many believe was the most gorgeous doe in all of the burrows often felt shy about those that looked at her for her outer beauty. She would say, “I look into a mammal’s eyes as they walk by with their mates or their kits and see the love they have for each other. They see beauty that the creator gave for the other to relish. It is not for me to judge such things on my species then”

The two younger does had held onto their older sister’s wisdom. They always sensed Jill had an inner knowledge that transcended species, the Oryctol Elders and the old ways that had been passed down from generation to generation her family.

She held the warthogs gaze for just that moment to see his love for the beautiful Swahili sow maiden in all her bare fur glory;. a ceremonial spear in one hand while a small piglet was nestled in her arms against her bare breast. Tribal tattoos adorned her upper body. Her skirt was an amazing weave of colorful feathers and cloth with feather anklets. Around her neck she wore a necklace of boar tusk. Jackie not wanting to judge asked, “She is very special indeed. What is the significance of her necklace if I may ask.”

“Yes, yes, it is our way, those are the tusk of her elders gone to Mungu Roho and serve his tribe for the eternal winds.” The boar said with both love and pride for his mate.

“You are a blessed boar Naguru.”

The warthog took back the photo and smoothed it in his hoof, then placed it back in his pocket and gave the doe a nod.

Patomo had made his way to the sandy bank but when he tried to stand he gave out a cry and sat back down with a large splash. “Patomo, what’s wrong?” Nagura ran over wading into the shallows. Jackie, Thomas and Baxter were soon by the large hippo’s side as well. Jackie could see he only wore a diver’s type swim trunks, a large combat knife that would be a sword to the rabbit tied to one ankle and a plastic waterproof device with an antenna strapped to the back of his wide neck. The device had a lead that went up to one of his small ears. She recognized it to be a waterproof long-range encrypted special forces radio with a GPS receiver. The other ankle was the issue. It was severely bruised and swelled up significantly.

“My friend, how long have you had this injury? Baxter inquired as he gently touched the swelling.

“Since I splashed into the river. It not bad really. I can swim good still.”

“Naguro, go get the first Sergeant.” Captain savage ordered the boar as the wildebeest was also their medic among other things. The warthog took off with haste and agility toward the abandoned settlement above.

“So wait, how did you splash into the river?” Jackie was curious now as she comforted the injured Patomo.

“Patomo is the first Hippopotamus to do a HALO drop. Trained 3 months straight. Right big guy.” Thomas injected.”

Patomo laughed, “Me Airborne Ranger now… but not so good at landing…” then he went onto explain that he had trained over open bodies of water with a large floating ring as a target. The issue came when he had to drop into an opening in the 200-meter-tall jungle canopy above the wide flowing river. He managed the opening, but he had to cut away his shoot early or he would drop onto the rocky river bank. He was trained to point his large flat hooved toes to force his body to go shallow but there had been a boulder or something that he hit his leg on spraining his ankle. Hippos were known for their massive strength despite their looks and he had also been training for months so the damage was probably less than it would have been. Luckily, he explained the water was very cold and helped to keep the swelling to a minimum. He was a soldier with a mission and he would not be undone. He had to swim upstream for several dozen kilometers over the next week. It was painful but manageable as Hippos were among the best swimmers of all land mammals despite their massive size. Then once he confirmed his intelligence, he let the current take him almost 120 kilometers downstream to where he was now.

“You did all that with this injury?” Jackie was amazed at the dedication of these mammals.

“I swim. It is what I do. No problem.”

“What about crocodiles.”

The hippo gave out a belly laugh. “No crocks in upper Zibamba or the Mto wa uzima. Too cold for crocks. They like warm water.”

Baxter and Jackie glared at Thomas then dragged him into the river as Patomo laughed.

Sergeant Wonkonkoona had made his way down to check on Patomo while Thomas decided it was time for Jackie to get some rest. “Look Lieutenant, mission first and at this stage I am the boss, you need to get some sleep. I need to confer with my mammals.”

“But—”

“That’s and order, Jackie, now get in that tent and get those wet clothes off. They will dry pretty quick on the rocks out here. You can wear your flight suit for now.”

“Yes brother.” She pouted and went into the camo mylar tent. “Tom”

“Ah yeah” then a soaking wet crop top, pair of athletic shorts and polka-dotted panties hit the jack rabbit right in the muzzle as the tent flap closed. “I am going to tell Jill you peaked.”

“Wait, what, I didn’t, I wouldn’t…Jackie I…” then laughter filled the group as the buck’s ears turn three shades redder.

**_Zibamba River camp 17:30 hrs:_ **

“Hopps, Jackie,” Captain Savage knelt down to the rabbit sleeping on a blow-up cot. “come on now, it’s time to get up get, some chow and get ready.”

“What, how long did I sleep…, You should have gotten me up Tom.”

“You probably needed it. Better to be fully rested for your mission. Your clothes that were wet are dry now and right here. Here is a bottle of water and we have some chow outside.”

“Oh wait Tom. I am so stupid…” Jackie suddenly panicked, “I needed to tell you. Myle’s… her Dragonfly went down in Duala. I handed off a Lacewing to Reluso to help find her…”

Tom understood. There was nothing they could do now though until their mission was complete. “We have radio coms up with StormCloud. I will have the Sergeant see what he can find out. Jackie… It’s not your problem right now, okay. That might sound harsh but you need to focus on your mission.” The buck left her as she nodded. He was right. They all had their duties and these mammals were risking so much, had risked so much. She got up took a drink of her water, then remembering the tonaka root in her hip cargo pocket, took it out and had a small nibble to help her clear her mind.

The sky was darkening blue turning orange, red then midnight blue as the first stars could be seen in the distance. There was a steady breeze blowing the tops of the jungle canopy adding a symphony of sounds that reminded Jackie of the winds that would come up the fields from the west back home.

Jackie pulled her now dry clothes from behind her and gave them a wave, “So, where’s the girls’ locker room by chance? I need to use the facilities before changing.” She added shyly.

Naguru pointed to the first line of heavier scrub up the path toward the settlement and Jackie nodded. She turned to Thomas. “Come on captain, you can keep me company and make sure I stay safe.” When Tom held up his paws in hesitation Jackie grabbed one, “Give me a break, it’s not like you haven’t seen anything before. I know you and that brother of yours had been peaking at my sisters and I back at the watering hole on the farm.”

“Wait, look… it was not my idea really… and Jill practically teased us into sneaking over and looking…”

The rest of the team just began to laugh at their captain being pulled off and outed for being well…a typical male when he was younger and still single. As the two strolled out of earshot of the rest of the team Jackie slowed and got suddenly somber, “Thomas, I know that the facility I am going to find and mark for Ghost Squadron is not purely military. I… I saw what just two of those Vulcan Wrath thermite incendiary bombs did to the ship back in Rio—50 mammals died…”

“Just stop Jackie. You need to not think about those cost.” He pulled her around to face him then pulled out his phone. He opened an encrypted folder with a code then opened a video file. “This was cell phone video from the Kingdom of Katshmire that made it out even with the total electronic black-out. The video plaid as you could hear mammals speaking in a foreign tongue and pointing then the video point up to see large cylinder shaped objects with parachutes falling toward a busy central square. It could have been the business district of any major city, it was not really identified. The video followed the object down until it landed in the center of the square, another landing just farther off. Some mammals of various species moved toward the large cylinder that appeared to be about 10 meters tall and several wide. Suddenly small explosions zipped around the top of the cylinder blowing off the sides like peals of an orange and as mammals recovered they were assaulted by three feral tigers that attacked out from one of three sides of the cylinder. The tigers appeared to be completely primal with no rational thought— just trying to kill any mammal in sight. A Camel in a police uniform had taken out his side arm and fired his revolver putting down one tiger but they wore body armor. The Camel threw the empty weapon away and drew his sword that Katshmire police wore but was overwhelmed by fierceness of another vicious predator’s claws from his side slashing his throat open.”

The video ended as the owner of the phone had turned to run into a building and it became just jerky blurs. “These cylinders with three savage tigers each were dropped from falsely identified commercial flights. We have no idea how many mammals lost their lives, hundreds maybe. Bellmorah’s army marched into Katshmire unopposed a few days later. Whomever leaked the information about the lab and the toxin knows what cost this will take to end this brutality.”

Jackie’s eyes were glassy with tears. “I, I understand.”

“I want to show you why I haven’t been able to go home to Jill and the kits?” Thomas asked but before Jackie responded he pulled of his shirt.

Jackie gave out a shocked, “No.” when she saw the scarring that covered much of the hares torso that left little or no fur, just mangled scarred skin. She reached out then pulled her brother-in-law into a deep hug. Tom, how could you think that this would make a difference to Jill and the kits. They love you for the rabbit you are and the love you have shown to them.”

“I’m not ashamed of the scars. It’s the monsters under them I am terrified I may have become. I try to tell myself I am the same rabbit she fell in love with, but she’s… she’s perfect and loving and now I am—”

“Her mate… You are her precious mate and she is the one mammal that can chase any monsters away you may think that are in your troubled soul. Now you better soldier up and make sure those new kits have the same loving father and Jill has the love of the buck she married.” Jackie said poking him in his scarred chest. Thomas Savage is right in here.” Jackie spun around unzipped her flight suit and the began to pull on her dry clothes.” And if you don’t I will tell Jill you were ogling her little sister while on mission.” She said without looking back at the buck.

“Hey wait, I’d rather face an enemy tiger unarmed then my mate if she had any such idea..”

When the two returned, the wildebeest sergeant was in the RIB on the radio relaying messages in his native ZULU tongue with the short clicks and whistles that made the language seem like code; though even in Zulu it was probably coded so only the two in the conversation actually understood the true meaning.

Tom handed Jackie a mylar bag of dried fruits and a honey nut bar. “Sorry, not much of a feast out hear for the likes of us. This ragtag bunch can probably eat have the river bank but for you and I, we need to keep to the home grown stuff to be safe.”

“How’s the ankle Patomo?” Jackie asked the Hippo who was now wearing a ACU shirt and sitting on a large log.

“Me good. No marching for sure but I swim good. Can walk not so fine.” He pulled a clump of grass that was growing by the river gave it a sniff then munched it down. “Fresh, very fresh. Very few bugs, spiders maybe…good stuff.”

Jackie was now fine with the dried MRE’s

The Dragon was no longer covered with camo netting yet just like she had left it the prairie dogs were going over the craft meticulously. Several jerry cans were stacked by the side of the pier with a hand pump.

“Tanks are full. We have more fuel up on the ridge from a supply drop but we don’t want to bring it down until you leave. Then we will have it ready for your return. Just do not like having several hundred pounds of AV-gas by our camp if we get spotted.” Tom stated. “Sergeant, let’s get this briefing going, the lieutenant has a schedule.”

Baxter had a large digital tablet he laid on the folding table that the sergeant and Thomas also stood around. The tablet displayed a satellite LIDAR image of the jungle where Patomo had parachuted into. LIDAR or Light Detection and Ranging used pulse laser to make highly accurate 3D images of the earths surface. It had its limits as it could not penetrate the deep forest canopy but could show where the canopy thinned and the topical elevations thus making it possible to determine the path of the rivers below. Baxter combined an IR overlay to show possible large modern settlements though it would be more accurate to label them as villages rather than towns or cities.

We know that the upper Zibamba weaves it way up these canyons and 2 other major rivers converge at this point. The most likely branch and the least unknown to the outside world heads approximately northeast at the point — Mto wa uzima – River of L Ife. It is a sacred river to the Sarrangi nation. These IR-maps and LIDAR have been added to the Dragon’s database. They just do not give accurate topographic information with the depth of those jungle canyons and the immense canopy above. The intelligence we have is the medical facility was built under the lee of a cliff and the banks could support a good size settlement. That means they needed to be on the river as the rivers are the only possible way of travel in this jungle. These three locations are probable of the best target, this one being primary. “Baxter pointed out. “There are just too many small villages along these rivers to just go in and drop bombs on arbitrary targets under the jungle… we don’t do that.”

“So, Jackie you will take the Dragon in here. Use your Lacewings to start mapping ahead of you toward these targets. None of the signals coming from these targets or the Military installations around Sarrangi show search systems capable of seeing your digital footprint and once you are in those canyons with your sensors you should be safe until you get near the lab. They have a battalion strength of Bellmorah’s Hyena Shock Troops. Probably heavy machine guns and shoulder fired missiles but you should be in and out without them even knowing you were there.”

“The Lacewings will home in on the electromagnetic output of structures for a facility that can hold a unit of that size. The Lacewings don’t need much to see the difference between mammal made and natural surroundings—shouldn’t take them long to find the correct target.”

Thomas looked at Jackie, “You find the facility and mark it from best possible range and get out. Those are your orders, understood.” The Jack rabbits’ expression was dead serious but the veteran special forces captain could not keep the fear from Jackie. Rabbits knew rabbits; Toms nose wiggled almost imperceptibly and his ears played straight back. She was sure that his friend Baxter most likely could pick up the scent of fear off the buck even with the neutralizing scent spray they wore that also doubled as an insect repelant.

“I’m not going to sight see. They will never see me Tom.”

“Leftenant, our communications is sketchy with satellite communication damaged on the RIB but StormCloud relayed that they have no word of Warrant Officer Moulouski’s Capture or Captain Relusonovich’s either. The Lacewing you sent found the downed Dragonfly and the Captain ordered it back to the Nautigal before it ran out of power.”

Lacewing drones used another breakthrough in classified technology; an advancement in powerful lightweight batteries which was the limiting factor in all mini to micro drones. The Lacewing was able to recharge its batteries if it had a safe place to land during the daylight hours as the wings were also solar energy collectors. With no safe way to ensure the protection of both his mammal piloted Dragonfly and the Lacewing, Reluso must have made the decision to send the Lacewing with its highly classified technology back to the safety of the covert spy-ship, the Nautigal

“So, there is a chance they can be found” Jackie stated with encouragement.

“One mission at a time Hopps.”

Thomas then handed Jackie her flack vest, “You need to put this on lieutenant. If they have 12.7 mm weapons the armor on your cockpit is not going to keep you alive.”

“Thomas, if they do, it won’t matter now will it.” She handed the heavier garment to one of the prairie dogs and gave him a hand signal to stow it.” I can’t feel the controls wearing that thing. My speed and agility are my armor.” She said as she pulled on her flight gloves. Jackie stepped up into the Dragon as Tom stepped up onto the landing gear footpad next to her to help strap her in. Suddenly his throat was choked as he couldn’t find words to say. He handed Jackie her helmet and stepped down then shut the canopy.

The prairie dogs had their headgear on so they could hear Jackie though Jackie could not understand what the brothers said to one another as she began the startup sequence. As the rotors came up to speed Jackie looked at Tom and hit her helmet on the side. Tom understood and took one of the ground crews headsets.

“What’s up Hopps?”

“You… you promise, you’ll be right here waiting for me to get back right Tommy.”

Thomas could hear the nervous fear in her voice. Jackie had not called him Tommy since she was 15 years old back on their farm and Thomas had asked Jackie how to ask her older sister out on a date. He was terrified of being turned down by the beautiful doe but she had liked him he thought. He was in his twenties but felt like a kit.

“I’m not going anywhere Jackie. I promise. I will be right here waiting for you then we all go home.” He gave her a thumbs-up then handed the headset back to the prairie dog who disconnected the cord from the Dragon’s outside com link then pulled the wheel chocks. All the mammals present then stood at attention on a line if front of the stealth chopper and gave a salute. With that the turbines revved up and Jackie lifted the Dragon a few meters, turned the nose toward the river, flew under the trestle then gained altitude to head north over the jungle.

Baxter came up alongside Thomas, “She’ll be back Tom. She is the best we have or they wouldn’t have picked her. We have a lot to do in 4 hours, captain.”

“Your right, get those techs working on the sat-coms.”

“I told them to get something to eat. You know how they are. Then they are going to finish pulling parts from the trashed RIB up the hill.”

“Good, keep me informed.” Captain Thomas Savage’s eyes never shifted from the fading silhouette of the helicopter piloted by his sister-in-law heading off into the darkening sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know to some readers this may seem like this is heavy on a military conflict yet in truth in our world there are up to 200 military conflicts actively happening at any time. Our special operation forces have been involved in conflicts large and small, most these actions will never be told to the general public.  
> The Kashmir region between India and Pakistan has been in dispute between the two nations for centuries Though under Indian rule, Pakistan claims it as their territory as well and military incursions have often lead to intense conditions and military action. As both of these nations are nuclear armed with tactical and strategic weapons the stability of Pakistan’s leadership has been an international concern.  
> Unfortunately, the people of that region have often found themselves caught in the crossfire.  
> As for the world I am building in my story, though loosely based on our world it is not of course the same. I think putting mammals simply in place of people in our history and our geopolitical landscape as well as what we consider normal evolutionary biology and geology is rather to say cartoonish to me. Though using what we know from our world is relevant as YOU the reader are from our world and have context in it. So, grabbing parts from it are fine but I do not want a WWII or a Civil War of the Animerican States…just feels hokey for these sentient mammals to repeat our mistakes.  
> Not that mammals would become sentient anyway but that we put sentient mammals in an evolutionary track that in no way included sentient mammals. (I.e. keeping all the evolutionary traits of for example a Rabbit would have in our world and applying it to simply stated to the comic book science of Zootopia evolution. Though what makes Zootopia different from Disney’s animated Robbin Hood is that the animals maintain many specie traits as an almost cultural history; in a real Zootopian evolution these sentient mammal’s evolution would have to respond to one another and not be species isolated. That is why they are portrayed as almost various races rather than species. Biologically they are not the same though culturally and socially they have become inter-racially desegregated (interspecies entwined communities) in the city of Zootopia and even in the burrows as we see in the movie. Though distinct species community and or isolationism (specie-ism) is a theme and the bigotry it produces.  
> This rather in-depth conversation is difficult to have in both the notes or comments. I really need to add a link to a Tumblr page, don’t I.  
> If you would like to comment on this though feel free to do so. Or anything for that matter.
> 
> Sorry, It was getting late and I forgot to add this. The entire reason I went of on the (not a major military campaign) tangent was to say that the the story will not include protracted military engagement (though military action will happen). Jackie Hopps world will become quite finite and it will all swing back to what eventually ties into the plot of Judy Hopps story and Nick Wilde as well. After the next chapter which must be told, we will jump back to Hopps/Wilde for a spell.
> 
> So...I realized I need a transition before I jump back to Zootopia. And that transition has been percolating in my head... actually the entire thing has been written in my brain. I wish there was a brain to text app. I need a typist. It will get on the page I promise.


	11. The most terrifying sound to a rabbit is silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One of the Hopps sisters remembers how Stu and Bonnie came to meet. the reason for her dwelling on the past becomes painfully clear though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the longer break between post. I work in a marketing department of a large company and year end to the new year is are hot time.  
> Also, I felt I needed to rearrange the story as I had it in my head the way I like to use the flash backs and the entire story of Jackie Hopps was not going to come up until much later but it felt disjointed as her story begins before Judy’s. I then realized I was missing a major transition that was important to both Jackie Hopps and the character creation of Judy Hopps (or the way I am building her in my fic.)  
> AS always for the purpose of clarity in this fic:  
> [ brackets ] represent radio communications dialog as opposed to dialog over the phone, intercoms, or in person..etc.

**—Rabbit Axiom—**  
**“The most terrifying sound to a rabbit is silence.”**

_“My heart has joined the Thousand, for my friend stopped running today.”_

(Rabbit Prayer for the lost, Watership Down —Richard Adams—)

**_Outskirts of BunnyBurrow 1963:_ **

“Thanks Winston, this will be fine. Get yourself a drink and take a break in the shade. It’s sure is unseasonably warm this spring.”

“Thank you sir. I will just grab a drink of water from the cask then go help the plow team with the rigging if you don’t mind. I am sure they are ready to take a break.” The mustang stallion that had pulled the cart with the Hopp’s Oryctol Elder and several large casks of water made sure the wheel brakes were locked; pulled off his hoof protectors and tossed them into the cart then headed off down the small hill toward a large plow team of a dozen mustangs and two bison that had been pulling a harrow plow, with its rows heavy steel disc, through one of the Hopps’ 3,500 acres of fields.

“Can’t say I’ve seen many plow teams like that anymore Mr. Hopps.” The beaver pointed out as he removed his ball cap when he stepped in the shade of the massive willow tree.

“Yes, we have purchased our second tractor for the Hopps’ Family Farms. Much of our produce is planted and harvested by rabbits alone but as you know, if we are going to help feed the thousands of mammals coming into live and build Zootopia we need to keep expanding. Much of what we plant in the wet seasons the plow teams just cannot be replaced by a tractor—at least not yet,” Joshua Hopps explained to the beaver that had just walked up with his daughter-in-law Laverne.

“Well I must say your does are shrewd negotiators. As for the trading your land between here and the town of Bunny Burrow for the easement land owned by the rail road up to along the mountain passes it was not really an issue. The railroad has plenty of land but not much in the way of funds with the amount of labor we need to pay and house right now.” The beaver looked back at the foundations of the rail station that had just been completed. “Please excuse me for asking, I always thought you clan rabbits were sort of a closed off community.”

“Mr Flattail,” Laverne Hopps, spoke up, “we are rather… traditional, but my father and mate understand the need for us to work with the growing diversity of species around us. With the rail line coming into the Burrows we understand that our traditions cannot cut us off from the opportunities to benefit our Warren and in turn for our skill as farmers to benefit the greater community we now find us in.”

“Well said Laverne. Jedidiah, your doe is becoming a proper Matriarch for the Hopps Warren.”

The younger of farmer nuzzled his mate, “Yes papa, she is.”

“No gooshy stuff pa, come on mamma I want to show papa now.” A small buck holding Laverne’s paw was bouncing with excitement.

“Okay Stanley. Calm down. I’ll leave you too it. I need to go back and finish discussing contracts with the party from the produce distributor that came from Zootopia.” Laverne looked at Jedidiah and her father-in-law, “their offer is quite substantial but I think we can require a better percentage and they would like for us to expand our rice production.”

“Good news for Winston’s teams then,” Joshua added.

“Yes it is. I hope it is reason enough to keep them employed.”

Laverne headed back down the hill toward the platform of what would soon would be the Bunny Burrow Rail Station. No rails had been built but the bed was being cut through the Tri-Burrows with heavy equipment bought in by the rail line. Still they needed a great deal of help from local labor like the Hopps Clan and more importantly they needed their land. The government could have used Eminent Domain to claim easement through the vast swaths of land but they found that as the rabbit clans were shrewd but agreeable negotiators they would gladly make land-for-land trade with contracts to pay for timber harvest off the traded lands. Zootopia was about to move forward with their “Grand Experiment” project encompassing biospheres from around the world to bring mammals and cultures together in an experiment to prove to mammal Kind that it truly was the “City on The Hill” – the — “Light for all mammals to see”. For that they would need food and lots of it. After see the efficiency of the Clan rabbit farms from the Midwest and learning of similar farms just to their north, the City Council of Zootopia decided that every effort should be made to nurture these farms access to the city and bring the entrepreneurs that ran the city’s food supply in contact with these farmers to negotiate a good working relationship.

The Beaver turned back toward the platform where a deck like structure had been built to put the rabbit does on even footing with the business mammals from the city. One odd pair was a rat and grizzly bear that had come as representatives of Biglivelannici Logistics Incorporated. The rat was in a dark grey pin striped suit and sat at a folding table that had been set atop the deck structure as he went over various contracts laid before them. The bear was similarly dress but stood with his feet on the rail platform so his muzzle just came to above eye level of the rat and several of the elder Hopps’ does. “I have never seen a grizzly scared to make eye contact with a prey of any size, let alone a rabbit doe barely half the size of its head. Of course, the two dozen bucks milling around with pick axes, shovels and not to mention the few watching with shotguns…”

The eldest Hopps laughed, “Ha, that bear could probably take on the lot if he knew better. Just never dealt with the business sense of the Hopps’ Matriarchs. Almost as dangerous as a doe protecting her kits. As for the shotguns… ah, just bird shot. Protecting the clan from owls and hawks and such. Don’t think you would even feel it much Mr. Flattail. Where did that boy Stanley run off to now?”

Stanley had bounded off past several of his older cousins also resting in the shade of the large willow with the excitement of a kit on his birthday. He stopped for a moment to turn back to his papa.

“Behind the willow in the nook of the large roots right where you left it my boy.” Jedidiah shouted to the exuberant kit. Then watched him jump behind the massive trunk. With the chuckles from his cousins at the excitement of their bouncing young sibling, Stanley came hopping back with a pole of some kind in one paw. He moved so fast it was hard to see what it was until the breathless young buck came to a stop in front of the utility wagon.

“Grandpa Joshua… I… I made this for you.” With a prideful smile the buck held up a finely crafted walking stick that had a larger head at the top with a handle part way down. The head was Smoothly molded from a dark hardwood then transitioned into a narrow lighter wood. “Mr Flattail showed me how to join the wood pieces using no glue or nails and helped me pick out the wood. Papa helped with the tools and the sanding.”

“Wow, Stanley that is a mighty fine walking cane. And right handsome too. I don’t see a mortise or tenon in this joint?”

Stanley looked at the beaver, “Mr. Flattail is a, he is a, I remember… a Civil Engineer…right.” Pappa and the beaver nodded, “and he design the bridges and stuff. He makes a lot of things with wood and they need to be strong.” Stanley looked puzzled, “How do you say the name again?”

“Hako-aikaki-shachi-sen-shikuch, It is a form of Asian joinery that uses a wood key. Once the parts are joined, sanded and finished they are never going to come apart unless you drill out the key shim. hidden on the underside. Your kit Stanley here is quite the fast learner. He sure loves to learn about building. Says he wants to design the safest Warrens ever. I imagine he will do just that.”

“It is a great work of craftmanship Stanley.” The old buck took his old cane and threw it in the back of the cart. “We will use that for a stick ball stick. Thank you boy. Now, I need to talk to Mr. Flattail and your father, can you go tell your brother Stu and the plow team to take a break and come get some water?”

“Sure grandpappa.” With that the young buck was off down the hill towards the large freshly plowed field. Stanley met his step brother Stu who was acting as steer-mammal for the plow team, though he was only about 5 years old, young Stu loved working with the plow teams as they just had a connection with the earth that seemed to fascinate the young farmer buck. He was also a kit though as the two youngsters wrestled and chased one another around the laughing stallions. Winston and a large Bison had made their way back up to the two older Hopps members.

“Just in time Táhoenótaxe, we are about to discuss some business that your pull teams will be needed for,” Jedidiah Hopps welcomed the massive bison.

“That is an interesting name, is it one of the herd names?” Mr Flattail inquired.

“Yes, I am of the Hotóa'ȯhtamēhnėstse tribe or you may know us as the Walking Buffalo Tribe. What is this contract you have for us Mr. Hopps. I see you have a new tractor running the saw mill. Soon there will be little work for strong backs—”

“Nonsense my friend, your labor could be replaced maybe but never your knowledge of the earth. But I kneed both. We have made a land trade with the railroad and they will need timber and lots of it. So we need your team to pull the mill up above the east rise near the tracks. I believe you have a spur line there Mr. Flattail?.”

“Yes, about…well just under the point of that hill top in the distance,” the beaver pointed, “It was built when they were carving into the granite and need heavy equipment.”

“Táhoe can help harvest timber up there and just below the rise there is a small quarry. We can build a sleuth for Creosol if you bring it in by rail.”

“That would be very helpful Mr. Hopps. We would not have to take the timbers back to the yards to be dipped. It would be a huge savings for the rail road.”

Joshua Hopps stepped out of the wagon using his new walking stick and stepped over to the beaver, “Then may I suggest another trade, as we will need to expand our rice fields to the west we also will need to expand our reservoir for winter runoff and that will take heavy equipment. Equipment I believe you have waiting just a bit up toward the north near Podunk if I am correct.”

“You rabbits are the shrewdest bunch for sure. But Mr. Hopps if we do not have to hall timbers back to the yards all the way back near Zootopia just to treat them and then hall them back, I can confidently say it will not be a problem to have my company help you expand your reservoir.” With that they shook on the deal.

Well Táhoe, I think the Hopps’ Family farms can keep your team busy for the next several months and into the summer rice harvest season as well. Once we flood those fields those tractors just won’t work.”

“Hmm, Sounds good Mr. Hopps. I better get my team some water then talk to your son Matthew about moving the mill. Looks like they are done cutting boards for the station.”

“I need to head back as well, I will talk with the yard master about getting the equipment manager up here to discuss your needs.” The beaver shook both Hopps’ paws then headed down to his pickup truck.

“Jedidiah, you know what all this progress means my son?”

“Yes father, the Warren needs to grow… we need new rabbit blood not of our kin but of our kind.”

“That is correct. The Oryctol Elders have documented all the Warrens in the Burrows and there are just not enough unrelated does and bucks. More are coming in but we need to make sure of their heritage. So, it has been decided. Your boy Stu will be the one. Of all the rabbits he is born to know the earth like none I have seen.”

“What of Stanley?”

“It was the honorable thing for you and Laverne to adopt Stanley and his sisters when their Warren collapsed. And he has become and inseparable older brother to Stu. We will not separate them. We have prepared letters of introduction for both of them and several of the older does and bucks to take them back east to the Great Plains Warren.”

“He is so young father…”

“It is time my boy, Life will change like the seasons when the rail line comes in with passenger trains. If we don’t not prepare our family line will be tainted with these western rabbits, Cotton Tails, Jack Rabbits, uncultured mammals that care less about tradition or the value of the Warren Life.”

“Stanley wants to be an engineer, Not a farmer. He wants to build better and safer burrows and Warrens… a does work.” Jedidiah contemplated, “but then, does may dig but the bucks always help with the building.”

“Can you blame young Stanley after losing most of his family to a cave-in. The elders have approved it. He will learn to build from the master builders… and my son, don’t be so fooled, does may be the best diggers but the best burrow it built buy a combined heart.”

Jedidiah watched his two boys run across the field knowing he would not see them again for a very long time, “Its decided then…” He repeated to himself quietly as he watched his doe come back up the hill, wondering if she knew of the decision.

**_Farm fields of the Great Plains Warren, Great Lakes Territory, south of the city of Zoocago; 1968:_ **

The Great Plains Warren, though massive in scale when considered by shear interconnected burrows, was almost empty of clan rabbits. Most of the family burrows had been closed down for so long that they had to be condemned due to lack of proper structural upkeep. Too many of the younger generation had moved on. Whether it was lack of interest in traditional farming life or the traditions of the Warren hierarchy, more and more of these old-world rabbits found kindship and interest with western rabbits and city life. Many of the clan families had moved farther away to create new burrows away from the growing corporate mega farms that were encroaching around them. They craved the simpler Warren life and wanted to keep among their own kind. Others still found trade outside of farming as Warren rabbits were the hardest working of almost any small prey species and so they found life in simple Burrows near towns that could make use of their skills in carpentry, tunneling and excavating, ornamental gardening supplies; but no matter the case the clan had lost its once grand community of dozens of honored families. What the Warren did contain was knowledge; massive libraries from the old and new world on farming, organic science, Lagomorph culture, technical trades including the use of older team drawn plows to the use of the more modern tractors.

Most of the sponsored does and bucks that had come from the burrows to learn a trade and more about farming had achieved their real purpose—they had found mates among the families not yet living in the burrows or the west territory. Although the Oryctol Elders did not openly arrange mates anymore and had not for several generations, using careful planning, covert planning by the and siblings, the two rabbits in question managed to find themselves conveniently available to one another and as they oddly or not discovered had much in common. By the time young Stuart Hopps was ten years old even his step brother Stanley had found a doe that also wanted to be a master burrow designer and builder and so the two had asked for permission to be engaged early at the age of 15. Rabbits like most small mammals matured quickly as young, and Oryctolagus Rabbits began their education almost as soon as they were weaned from their mothers. The warren depended on rabbits maturing quickly and knowledge was gained and passed down through the warren clans. In the modern world, knowledge was the greatest benefit to any rabbit kit, male or female and Oryctol Elder Samuel understood this no matter the direction their life was drawing them. He helped Stanley find his niche that would let the young buck follow his dream. The elder mentor even managed to get him into a couple of drafting classes in a prodigious trade school in Zoocago based on the concept drawing that Stanley had presented. By the time Stanley had turned 19 he had an associate’s degree in architecture and a new mate with a as much or more enthusiasm and knowledge as he. They headed back to the burrows with their first litter already expecting.

For Stuart though his life was always going to be the soil and everything he could make it produce. Elder Samuel was amazed at Stuarts gift for the earth and as promised to his parents took Stuart on as an apprentice farmer and Warren-Head; though the second part would be more difficult because that required a very intelligent and strong-willed doe, of whom the Elder had yet to point Stuart in the right direction.

Elder Samuel was not only a wise buck, he was also not unwilling to use the resources of all the older does that were a bit more progressive and would gather at the local dinners north of Furoria to catch up on all the local burrows across the territory, gossip. It was with that knowledge and some personal investigation of his own that he had brought Stuart by Tractor to the edge of the clans Sharecropping property and one of the mega-farms.

“Elder Samuel, why have we come out here away from the others?”

“Stuart, look down into the valley field. What do you see.”

“I see one of the sharecroppers plowing the field he has leased from our clan.”

The elder buck pulled off his wide brimmed hat and wiped his brow, “Is the land he is turning good soil?”

“Elder, how am I to know?”

“Well my boy how about the land under this tractor or on the other side of the fence?”

Stuart must have realized there was some kind of test and began to get off the tractor.

“Why are you getting down Stuart?” Joshua gave his student a sideways glance.

“How can I know about the soil from atop this tractor. I need to dig my claws and paws through it. I need to smell it. I need to feel and see the texture.”

“So then, what is the tractor to you?”

Now on the ground Stuart looked at the steal beast then down to the farmer who was using an 8 bull plow team. He thought about it and realized the truth as he answered, “It’s just a tool, no different than a spade or a hoe.”

“Hmmm… and the team down there,” Samuel nodded to the Bison bulls, “they have been pulling plows for Hopps’ before I was younger than you, much younger. Do you thing they are just a tool?”

“The harrow plows they pull is the tool they are a team with the farmer.”

“Correct my boy.” Samuel lifted one brow toward the fence, “now tell me about the soil from the company farm.”

“The young buck stepped under the fence and pushed his paws into the new turned soil. Though recently turned it was dry and lifeless. He dug deep and pulled a clump to his nose. “There is no smell of earth, I mean it smells like dirt from the road and there are no worms or bugs of any kind. It has no richness in its color?”

“They have used so much fertilizer that the soil is dead. Now to make anything grow whatever is planted must be fed from artificial means.” Samuel pointed to the bison team and the elk farmer riding the harrow plow. “The rest of your training will be hear, from them.”

“But, Elder, they are sharecroppers and they live among the outsiders…”

“Stuart, the world is around, neither outside nor inside just around us. You understand that the Burrow Farms from your home will be doing business in a very diverse world… do not fear the world Stuart, conquer it.” With that the tractor started and began to pull away before Stuart could even respond. He did not protest his elder or try to follow. He sat on the side of the road dividing the property for a bit looking down watching the plow team as they turned to change directions and his ears shot up. On the right outside steer-mammals seat was a young rabbit doe holding a long strap leading to one of the lead Bison. And… she was, well a ten-year-old rabbit buck would not say pretty or maybe not even cute as bucks at that age probably didn’t even understand, but she was a doe doing bucks work. That’s it! And that would not do at all. Stu got up, brushed off his coveralls and headed down the hill.

“Hold up Shamus!” shouted the elk at the captain of the team signaled the bulls to stop and take a break. Stu walked down past the bison bulls who all turned their massive heads in unison along with the small doe as he maneuvered his way over the freshly turned furrows around the back to the elk. “Hello sir, my Elder may have spoken to you. I am Stuart Hopps, Elder Joshua Hopps has told me that you are to be my teacher from now on…”

“Wait one moment lad. I think you have been misinformed just a bit.”

“What, no? My elder is never wrong… he told me…”

“Hold on son… don’t get your ears twisted now.” The doe laughed with that making Stuart give her an angry sideways smirk as his nose began to wriggle and he began to twist his ball cap, “you need to calm down a bit. Your new mentor is up front.” The elk farmer tilted his large rack sideways pointing an antler toward front left of the team. “Go speak to team captain Shamus for a spell then come get up into the left steer-mammals seat.”

Stuart made his apologies to the Bison for assuming wrong who seemed not to mind and they talked a bit about the role of the steer-mammal then the young buck took the strap frorm the elk and got into the farleft seat that hung out over the left disk. With a Signal that all were ready and a shout from the elk to the captain the strong team dug in their hind hooves as the discs cut back into the soil. Stuart watched the team and gave a “hoe left” as he should, to indicate turning the furrows to match the curve of the field. Suddenly he heard a big clang that startled him as he looked to see a large rock get tossed through the discs. Right after a clump of dirt hit him in the head.

“Hey dirt for brains, you are supposed to watch for rocks dumb bunny.”

“Stu looked to see the doe on the other side glare his way then look forward, “Bonnie, no throwing dirt clods, you had to learn as well.”

The two lead bison shook their furry mains to keep from bellowing laughs though some in the team did, “Oh she likes him, finally a student she likes.”

“Really, she likes him…’dirt for brains?”

“Oh yeah, she likes him all right.” Samuel looked back at young Stu. “I hope he is ready for Bonnie Bell, poor boy.“ the two bulls just chuckled. “Come on team put your hooves into this hill!”

——###——

Commander Jill Savage-Hopps’ daydream about long told family history was interrupted by the voicecoming from the FMNAF Jet’s cabin intercom coming to life, “Commander Savage, we will be landing at Tri-burrows Community Municipal Airport in about forty minutes. They do have a rental vehicle waiting but all they could find in short notice was a late model pickup truck.”

Jill pressed a button on the arm rest of her spacious seat, “That will be fine captain. You can refuel once you are there and return to Miramar. I will be staying a few days. I will notify the base of my itinerary.”

“Yes ma’am, I will let you know when we are on final.”

Jill looked down towards the west, not really focusing on the expansive ocean or the mid-morning sun cascading across through the clouds. Her mind went back to the daydream but struggled to pull the memories forward. Memories from the details her mother would tell her of how her parents met, fell in love, dared to defy tradition in doing so. Memories Jill herself had of her the day they finally brought her and her sisters home… “home…”

——###——

Stu held Bonnie as she tucked Jill in her bed. “Night Sweetie.”

“Night ma.”

Bonnie turned to pick up the carryall that held 3 small kits, barely a week old now, so she could take them over to the large chair, the one nice chair she had in the small sharecropper cabin and begin to nurse them.

Stu leaned down to Jill and gave her a kiss then whispered, “Tonight is the night my sweet, and soon we all go home, okay.”

“She rubbed her nose on his, “Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Kay.”

“What are you two conspiring about over there?” Bonnie asked as she kept her eyes on the little girls fumbling in the blankets while she fed little Jason.

“Jill and I have decided, it’s time to make this family official my Bonnie Bell. It’s time you became my mate legally and we go home… back to Bunny Burrow.”

Bonnie new Stu loved her, adored her beyond life and she loved him. Still she was an outsider to his world and his Warren and though he swore he would never put the clan before her or the kits she was afraid. It was irrational of course but she was raised an orphan, not even by rabbits and among a world without traditions and hierarchy and now this handsome young buck wants to make her the mother Matriarch of an entire Warren full of more rabbits than she has ever seen in her entire life. And if the stories or maybe rumors were true… would they shun her and her kits? They had not even been proclaimed mates by the Oryctol Elders; wasn’t Stu supposed to have a mate chosen for him?

“Bonnie, we have been over this. Elder Joshua has met you and not that it would matter but not only has approved our mate-ship, he loves you as well. I have a gift.” Stu went into his satchel and brought out a heavy folder, like the kind you put a diploma in. He opened the folder; written in script was the endorsement of several elders including the eldest Matriarch of the Great Plains Warren stating the official Mate-ship of Stuart Hopps and Bonnie Bell, listing as well Jillian, Judith, Jacklyn and Jason as official heirs and all rights there in to the Pacific Hopps Warren known as the Tri-Burrows Hopps Warren. You are my mate, whether I had this or not.”

“What if they don’t accept me.”

“Bonnie Bell Hopps,” he said her new name with pride, “you are the strongest doe I have ever met; not to mention the most beautiful. They will adore you.”

“Okay Stuart, I, I trust you… where ever you go is where we go.”

Two weeks later everything Stu and Bonnie had accumulated over their young lives was packed into a 1952 Furd Step-Side 4x4 Farm Special that Stu had refurbish from the Warrens’ aging fleet. Besides the young rabbit family one other passenger was coming along though he would have to ride in the truck bed.

“Morning Shamus,” Bonnie smiled as the elderly bison walked up the road with his very meager belongings, “I am so glad you took Stu’s offer to join his farm. You know I would have missed you too much.”

“Thank you Bonnie, I have some gifts for you both and looking at this old truck I think one will come in handy for you and your kits.” The bison pulled out a marvelously crafted hand tooled leather yoke that he gave to Stu. Stu had been to the ceremony where the Bison’s father was committed to the eternal and as their tradition provided that they remain in use to their tribe; much of their fur and hide would be prepared for their sons and daughters. This was an honorable thing among Shamus’ kind. As Shamus had become great friends with his student Stu, Stu was allowed to witness the ceremony though not the actual removal of the hide as that is only witness by the son or daughter and the tribal priest. Stu did not want to accept but relented. As there were now great stigmas with such mammalian artifacts the Department of Cultural Affairs required that such things be numbered with a family serial number and register. The yoke could never be sold but could be passed down by permission only so papers had to be signed. The yoke could never be traded or used as barter and if the owner wanted to finally honor the Bison who it was he would have to ceremonial fire and burn it and spread the ashes.

Shamus had no sons to leave it too so Stu accepted the yoke and promised to hang it in his private office when they got home. Like the yoke Shamus presented Bonnie with a blanket of Bison fur that was his from mother. Similarly, to the leather Yoke Bison furs from the passed-on elders were cherished and used to swaddle calves. “This will keep your kits warm as we drive over the mountain passes. It will honor my family to know you have it.” Young Jill pushed her muzzle into the fur and Bonnie gave the large Bison a nod.

As with the yoke certificates of ownership had to be signed to satisfy the Culture Department. A tribal representative from the department gathered copies of the papers and promised to file them for Shamus and wished him farewell. Bonnie made a nice pocket in the bison blanket for her kits to sit in the old truck as her and Stu settled themselves in as well. The back suspension sagged as the large bull settled himself in the rear bed with the meager belongings and gave a hoof thumb up that he was ready. With waves from the rabbit clan the newest Hopps family and their bison helper headed west out of the Great Plains Warrens.

——###——

“Commander Savage, we are beginning our decent. We will be on the ground at the Tri-Burrow Municipal in twenty.”

“Thanks you captain. Can you connect me with Major Savage on secure? I’ll plug in my headset.”

“Commander, I have Major Savage’s flight, connecting now.”

[Jack…]

[…Yes Jill, I’m here, had some issues with getting permission to fly directly into MNU but managed.]

[Anything more at all Jack?]

[No, nothing I can say over the radio. Nothing Significant. Tom is on his way out. I ordered them out.]

[….I, What am I going to…]

[I don’t know Jill, I honestly don’t know. Look, I need to go, more headaches on my end. When I pick up Judy I’ll see you all back home.]

[Jack, be careful with her.]

[I know Jill, I know.]

“They signed off Commander.”

Jill took off the headset and looked down at the growing checkerboard of farm fields. This view use to make her heart jump with joy… now… now she wished she was that little girl wrapped in that bison blanket again. She watched the corn stalks get taller until they became a blur as she felt the wheels of the jet hit the runway. Suddenly her eyes were wet and her mouth was dry.

Just under an hour later Jill found herself driving up the dusty crushed gravel back way into the Hopps’ Warren. Heading up the hill toward the grove of trees the covered the Warren Down and how lonely she felt at this very moment cause the memories of her first time coming up this same dusty drive in her father’s old 1952 pickup.

Jill was just over three years old and could barely see out the windshield as she stood on the seat with both paws on the dash. Bonnie was nervous. She held her other kits in a bundle with one paw and chewed on the claws of her other paw but Jill was as curious as she could be. As the truck crested the hill and came into the outer row of trees of the grove she could see the massive grandfather oak that covered the top of the warren. The first thing she noticed was a large two-story tree-home built so it flowed within the lower branches of the majestic monument tree. She would find out later that it belonged to her Uncle Stanley who, although had become a master warren builder with his mate, refuse to spend a single night underground. As the base of the tree came into view, she could see dozens of field stone windows mixed with the roots coming down the outer dome like portholes on a ship. The Grandfather oak was massive indeed as it was actually several ancient oaks that had grown together at their base to form a guardian ring of roots, helped along by the care of generation of Hopps’ family plant husbandry of every kind. The wheels of the truck crackled in the gravel under the gaze of waiting Elder rabbits standing in the parking area and many others that watched the newcomers arrive from the long covered porch that extended a dozen meters along the back of the warren. Jill had never seen so many rabbits as she only had seen a few of the Elders outside the entrance of a single burrow so many days ago. She remembered there were joyous tears and greeting from the older does and especially Stan and his mate. They welcomed Shamus the bison as more rabbits came out to welcome home Stuart Hopps and his new mate… so many rabbits.

Stanley wanted to show Stuart and Bonnie to their new head living suite above the breakfast kitchen. Stan and his mate had personally redesigned the living quarters for his younger brother and mate, creating a burrow fit for a Warren-Head Patriarch and Matriarch built into the down above the breakfast kitchen. It had a large window among twisting roots of the oak that looked right out into the grove and an inner balcony that overlooked the great inner hall. Bonnie set Jill down on the balcony atop of that wonderfully soft bison blanket so her legs would hang through the balusters. The doe could look down at all the young rabbits staring up at her. Jill sat there as the Elders took Bonnie and Stu away in some sort of celebration so all could get to know the soon to be Mother-Matriarch of the Hopps’ Warren. What would that mean for this eldest daughter just three years old holding these tiny little kits as she stared down into the great hall at a warren full of strangers. They all looked up at her with suspicion, or was it jealousy? Who knows; rabbits could be the most untrusting bunch. To her it did not matter. She never flinched, never wriggled her nose, never let her little ears droop. Not Jillian the daughter of Bonnie Bell. She sat there with her tiny brother Jason, and sisters Judith and Jacklyn, all perfectly protected, wrapped in the ceremonial fur of a bison held in her strong little arms.

…and she would always protect them.

**_Meadowlands Northern University Campus Quad:  
_ **

Judy Hopps was having a great day. She was finishing up her first semester at Meadowland Northern University; taking a full 18 credit coarse load in criminology and had aced all her final exams. Judy had a good group of friends that she liked unlike the rabbits back in the burrows. A few rabbits but not like the bunnies back in the burrows as they were from the city so they had open Judy to so many new ideas and dreams. Judy’s closest friends oddly were a group of small predators; a bobcat, a stoat, a skunk and an ocelot who had become very good friends as he was also in her program as he wanted to become a lawyer and go back to his home country in Central Animerica and help poor land owners that were being cheated by wealthy foreigners.

Judy and her friend were decompressing out in the quad from the last exams by taking advantage of the several food carts as a large helicopter flew over low enough to make a good amount of ruckus. Table umbrellas were blown over. Trash can lids took off like flying dis as trash flew everywhere.

“Why would they fly so low and fast I wonder?” Someone from the group asked.

Judy got a bad feeling in her gut, “That was a military helicopter and I think it was flaring out over the engineering building to land over in the parking lot. I just don’t know why they would be coming here and in such a hurr…”

“Judes… what’s wrong.” The ocelot said to the young rabbit doe as she suddenly became silent, her ears pointing straight back, her nose wriggling like crazy before everything just fell apart… before she just fell apart… and before she could fall to the ground a white hare with black striped ears grabbed her in his arms and fell to the grass with her as all the mammals around them went to their knees; not knowing what had happened but knowing some great sad truth had come to the strong Judy Hopps.

…. And the worst sound ever for a rabbit to hear…was silence.

**_Back at Bunny Burrow:  
_ **

The rental pickup truck came to a stop in the gravel lot. Not much had changed from the back side of the warren; not much ever does. Trees around the grove had become taller. In the gravel lot there were a couple of newer but not brand-new trucks and a nicer jeep, along with 3 UTV’s that always were in use. It was mid-morning so the kits were down in the warren schools and some may be at the town schools. Most the older rabbits were off working at their various appointed task in the fields, orchards, mills, markets, or within the warren. Still, as always Bonnie was in the breakfast kitchen where she liked to work, probably making lunches for some work crews or taking care of a few of her grandkits. She came out of the arched screen door wiping off her paws on her apron, “Jillian! Oh, my bun, did you bring the kits?”

Jill did not shut the door on the truck as she walked toward her mother with only her satchel in one paw and her now removed beret in the other. Bonnie had stepped down off the porch and a few of Jill’s younger sisters had now come out with their kits in tow but had only made it a few steps before their ears froze.

“Jill… what is it bun?” Bonnie's ears were now stiff forward pointing at her eldest daughter as Jill dropped her satchel and her beret.

“Mom…”

“No… no, no”

The two does met both on their knees. Jill with silently retching sobs she had held in for her entire trip and Bonnie wailing the painful morns of a mother who had lost her kit. Soon other paws and voices would join the sad sorrowful song.

Inside the beret lying on the ground was an email printed by Jill:

**_From: Liaison of personnel family notification department, General Greggory Batisa. Free Mammal Nations Air Force_ **

**_To: Commander Jillian Savage-Hopps;_ **

_It is with deepest regret that I must inform you that your sister Lieutenant Jacklyn Hopps status is now missing in action. Though her mission at this time was classified due to the conditions of the loss of her aircraft, we believe the probability of Lieutenant Hopps’ survival to be very remote._

_Conditions also did not allow for any type of SAR action or confirmation. As we understand the cultural significance of informing loved ones of such a tragedy it was recommended that this regrettable information be passed along to you and you be given any allowances to return home to pass the news to your family._

_Please pass along our dearest sympathies and condolences and let my office Know how we may be of assistance to the Hopps family in this tragic time._

**_Sincerely General Greggory Batisa  
Office of Military Personnel._ **

The long covered back porch was soon full of mournful rabbits holding one another until Stuart came out from the side, he was winded from running, Stanley was with him as Bonnie and Jill came up to meet him and his ears fell in silent realization. The throng of rabbits gathered around as one and in one voice the cried out,

**“My heart has joined the Thousand, for my loved one stopped running today.”**

**_Zibamba River camp 08:30 hrs:_ **

Captain Thomas Savage stood atop the rail line trestle with the pack radio listening to static. It was the highest place he could get to and he had remained their stoic for the last 8 hours waiting to her a call back from ‘Dodger’ the rabbit pilot and his sister-in-law, that flew off into an unknown fate the evening before. He promised he would wait for her… he promised,

“Captain.”

“Captain, we must go now.” Patoma had put on his ACU top and even included his rank insignia from his home nation unit which was a Lieutenant Colonel. Although rank did not mean much in this band of commandos it was an odd thing for Patomo to do Thomas realized as he cocked his head sideways at the huge hippo that was leaning on a makeshift crutch.

Thomas gave a sigh then turned and saluted, “I guess you are in charge now Lieutenant Colonel sir. What are your orders.”

Patomo gave out a grin, “My orders are for us to head down stream to Duala and help find the missing Dragon pilot. My second order is to make you little rabbit in charge. So, you must follow my orders correct.”

Thomas looked at the morning sky, he had been given order an already by central command to return to base by any means possible. That meant that something tragic had happened to Hopps. He had his mammals to take care of. But ruttin hell how was he going to tell his mate, or her family?

“Prepare yourself for a long swim Patomo. Get the group ready. We are heading out in twenty minutes.”

“Yes Captain.” Patomo gave his captain a salute then did a very hippo cannonball jump off the rail trestle into the river sag.

Down at the RIB as they checked their gear Baxter and Naguru approached Thomas, “Thom, Naguru and I are going to stay behind and head up river.”

“Bax, I can’t allow that.”

“This be our land Captain, Baxter is Sarrangi and I am Zoobobwen. The fight is here and we choose to stay.”

“Look Thomas, If anyone has a chance, If there is a chance that She has had to put down and just need some help…”

“You’ll never find her…”

“You don’t know that. We know where she was heading and I can talk with the people, they’ll love me. If there is a chance we are willing to take it.” Thomas looked at the warthog, “besides, I can’t let the corporal go bashing through the jungle by himself—he’ll wreck the place.”

“You are to pretty to go bushwhacking you prissy cat.” Naguru shot back.

“Who are you calling a prissy cat? I make the jungle looked even more beautiful, you make it…”

“Watch your tongue kitty or I will tie you to a stick and use you as a back scratcher.”

“Oh shut up and get married you two, Captain, you know they are going after her,” said Sergeant Wonkokoona.

“I know my friend, I know…” Thomas looked at the caracal then pulled him into a hug. “Find her my brother…find her and bring her home.” The tears down his muzzle now mixed with the caracals.

“I will Tom, I promise to you. I will find her.”

Naguru ad Baxter watched the RIB disappear down the river from the top of the rail trestle. “So my pretty furred friend, how are we to get through the jungle. I know you, you trickster.”

“Yes, my burly companion. The tunnel through the mountain. There are access ways still open if you know your way through.”

The warthog gave a scoundrel’s laugh… “Why do I wonder how you know of such things.”

“Come on Naguru…Lets go find a bunny.”

With that the two odd warriors disappeared into the blackness of the tunnel heading north toward the sacred Sarrangi Jungle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To anyone just reading this you may not know the difference but I have been bugging myself since posting this chapter so i had to do it. I made an edit and put the section about Captain Thomas struggling to leave at the end. I felt it belonged here as it leaves the possibility of HOPE open as Baxter and Naguru head off into the jungle. Any possible connection to this over confident Caracal and his Warthog companion to unrelated stories fact or fictional is merely coincidental {Names and places changed to protect the innocent} Hmmm... I did love that show as well.
> 
> One of my favorite books and later animated movies (now also a animated mini- series) is Watership Down by Richard Adams. If you are a Zootopia fan and especially a fanfiction writer or fan you need to read then watch this and learn about this story. The creators of Zootopia leaned on this story for their interpretation of how to represent society in an animal-based movie. It is a masterpiece.  
> And many fanfiction writers take from Watership Down (unfortunately they do not give credit where credit is due) I have seen dozens of references to Lapine language (Created by Adams) and references to Lapine faith and Spirits (Again from Adams). As fellow writers we should be cognizant of this.  
> I see the Hopps clan almost like the Quakers or the Mennonites in a way. The reason for this in my version is that American western cottontails do not build warrens or extensive burrows. They will build a small burrow for nesting and laying young but do not live in large groupings in Warrens, or groups of burrows that help protect one another. This is more of a European rabbit trait. Though I see this fictional world as not a direct evolution of our real-world mammalian life (without primates of course) I think it is interesting to build off of it loosely. I also like the idea that even in a species (or more correctly a Family of Mammals) there can be speciest divisions. Species of mammals caring about purity of their kind would then be more upset about pairings that waterdown their species rather than inter-order relationships. (Mustangs and Zebras or Fox Squirrels and Grey Squirrels vs an actual fox and rabbit getting together.  
> Let me know what you think about this idea I am using for my fic.?  
> I also realize that the version of Stuart and Bonnie Hops could easily become a story in itself… and maybe will someday. (Or maybe just inspired by this to let another fic writer grab that carrot and run with it.)  
> As always, write to the complaint depart about what you hate… or love… either or really. It’s me either way. I’ll either let myself down easy or give myself a raise.


End file.
